Which action by the nurse is crucial in preventing the spread of infection in a healthcare setting?

Maintaining proper hand hygiene practices is a fundamental aspect of infection prevention in healthcare settings. Clean hands significantly reduce the risk of transmitting pathogens, not only to patients but also between healthcare providers and other individuals. Hand hygiene includes various practices such as handwashing with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, particularly before and after patient contact, after handling potentially contaminated materials, and after using the restroom.

By consistently adhering to hand hygiene protocols, healthcare professionals can effectively disrupt the chain of infection, which is essential in safeguarding both patient health and public safety. This practice is supported by evidence showing that many healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) can be minimized through appropriate hand hygiene techniques.

Other actions, while potentially beneficial, do not provide the same level of protection against infection spread. For example, using personal protective equipment is important but may not be sufficient by itself if hand hygiene is neglected. Avoiding patient contact until symptoms resolve is not always feasible in a healthcare environment and could lead to inadequate patient care. Restricting patient movement may be necessary in certain circumstances but does not directly address the transmission of infections as effectively as proper hand hygiene does.