Which of the following steps is NOT part of proper hand washing procedure?

The practice of proper hand washing is crucial for preventing the spread of infections and maintaining hygiene. Among the steps typically included in a thorough hand washing procedure are rubbing palms together, cleaning fingers, thumbs, and wrists, and interlocking fingers to ensure that all surfaces of the hands are scrubbed effectively.

Washing the elbows, on the other hand, is not a recognized step in the standard hand washing process. The focus is primarily on cleaning the hands and the areas pertinent to hand hygiene, such as the wrists, between fingers, and under fingernails. Since elbows do not come into direct contact with surfaces in the same way hands do, they are not part of the hand washing procedure. This distinguishes the correct choice, as it departs from the established guidelines for effective hand hygiene.