What are the potential results of improper garbing techniques?

Improper garbing techniques can significantly compromise the sterility of compounded sterile preparations. When personnel do not adhere to appropriate garbing protocols, they increase the likelihood of introducing contaminants, such as bacteria, fungi, or other microorganisms, into the sterile environment where preparations are made. This contamination poses a direct risk to patient safety, as it can lead to infections if these contaminated preparations are administered to patients.

Garbing practices, which include wearing gowns, gloves, masks, and hair covers, are designed to create a barrier between potential contaminants from the compounding personnel and the sterile products. When these practices are not followed correctly, the integrity of the compounding environment is jeopardized, leading to potential adverse patient outcomes.

The other options suggest outcomes that are not aligned with the principles of sterile compounding. For example, decreased preparation times or improved efficiency in compounding are not valid results of improper garbing, as such negligence usually results in increased preparation time due to additional steps needed to address contamination issues. Enhanced drug stability is also undermined in an environment at risk for contamination, as impurities may compromise the quality and efficacy of the drug being prepared. Therefore, the focus on the increased risk of contamination leading to patient infections accurately reflects the critical importance of proper gar