Which agency recommends personnel not to wear artificial or acrylic nails?

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that healthcare personnel avoid wearing artificial or acrylic nails to enhance infection control practices in healthcare settings. This guidance is based on the understanding that such nails can harbor pathogens and create a barrier to proper hand hygiene. Natural nails are typically easier to clean and maintain, reducing the risk of transmitting infections in environments where sterile processing and patient care occur.

The CDC's focus on hand hygiene as a critical component in infection prevention underscores the importance of ensuring that healthcare workers maintain the highest standards of cleanliness. Their recommendations are informed by research that shows longer nails or those with artificial enhancements can trap bacteria, making it challenging to practice effective hand hygiene.

In contrast, while agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provide regulations and guidelines that contribute to worker safety and public health, their focus may not specifically encompass personal adornments like fingernails in the context of infection control. The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) also provides standards regarding medical devices and sterilization practices, but does not specifically address nail usage for personnel.

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