Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse Practice Exam

What is the first line of intervention for preventing the spread of infection?

1. Wearing gloves

2. Administering antibiotics

3. Hand hygiene

4. Assigning private rooms for patients

The correct answer is: Hand hygiene

The first line of intervention for preventing the spread of infection is hand hygiene. This practice is essential in healthcare settings as it significantly reduces the presence of pathogens on the hands, which can be transmitted from one person to another or from one part of the body to another. Effective hand hygiene includes washing hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and it is crucial before and after patient contact, after handling contaminated materials, and before performing any aseptic tasks. While wearing gloves, administering antibiotics, and assigning private rooms can contribute to infection control, they are not as universally effective as practicing hand hygiene. Gloves may provide a barrier, but they must still be changed frequently, and proper hand hygiene should be performed before putting on and after removing gloves. Antibiotics are used for treating infections rather than preventing their spread, and private rooms may be necessary for certain patients but do not replace the fundamental need for hand hygiene among all staff and visitors in healthcare settings. Thus, hand hygiene serves as the cornerstone of infection prevention.