Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse Practice Exam

Which measure is the most effective in reducing the risk of health care-associated infections?

1. Keeping employee health records up-to-date

2. Performing hand hygiene

3. Providing annual influenza vaccinations

4. Always wearing a mask when caring for patients

The correct answer is: Performing hand hygiene

Performing hand hygiene is recognized as one of the most effective measures to prevent health care-associated infections. This is because the transmission of pathogens in a health care setting often occurs through the hands of health care personnel. When individuals wash their hands properly with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers, they significantly reduce the microbial load on their hands, which can otherwise be transferred to patients or surfaces, leading to infections. Hand hygiene disrupts the chain of infection by eliminating potential pathogens before they can enter the patient’s body. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasize the importance of hand hygiene in their guidelines for preventing infections in health care settings. This fundamental practice is crucial not only for individual health care workers but also for the safety of patients. While keeping employee health records current, providing vaccinations, and wearing masks can contribute to infection control, they do not address the immediate transmission risk as effectively as proper hand hygiene. These other measures are important components of a comprehensive infection prevention program but rely on hand hygiene to be fully effective in reducing infection risk.