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NCLEX · Safety and Infection Control

What is the single most effective method for preventing the spread of infection in healthcare settings?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

Proper hand hygiene (handwashing or alcohol-based hand rub)

  1. A Administering antibiotics
  2. B Wearing gloves at all times
  3. C Isolating all clients
  4. D Proper hand hygiene (handwashing or alcohol-based hand rub)

Why this is the answer

PROPER HAND HYGIENE — handwashing with soap and water OR using an alcohol-based hand rub — is the SINGLE MOST EFFECTIVE method for preventing the spread of infection. NCLEX safe care/infection control. Perform hand hygiene: before and after client contact, before aseptic procedures, after exposure to body fluids, after touching the client's surroundings, before and after glove use. USE SOAP AND WATER (not alcohol rub) when hands are visibly soiled and for C. difficile and other spore-forming organisms (alcohol doesn't kill spores). Gloves do NOT replace hand hygiene. Hand hygiene is the foundation of infection prevention and one of the most heavily tested NCLEX safety concepts.
Source: NCLEX Safe Care — Hand Hygiene

Practice more questions

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About this topic: Safety and Infection Control

Safety and infection control questions cover Standard and transmission-based precautions, isolation set-up, sterile technique, error prevention, restraints, and emergency and disaster response. This is one of 24 RN: Safe and Effective Care Environment questions on safety and infection control, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our NCLEX exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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