Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) Practice Exam

What is considered the most effective way to prevent nosocomial infections?

1. Thorough hand washing

2. Wearing gloves

3. Using antiseptic wipes

4. Wearing masks

The correct answer is: Thorough hand washing

Thorough hand washing is widely recognized as the most effective way to prevent nosocomial infections, which are infections acquired in a hospital setting. Hand hygiene disrupts the transmission of pathogens, which can easily be transferred from person to person or from contaminated surfaces to patients. With healthcare workers frequently moving between patients and different areas, maintaining clean hands is crucial in breaking the chain of infection. While wearing gloves, using antiseptic wipes, and wearing masks play important roles in infection control, they do not replace the need for proper hand hygiene. Glove use can create a false sense of security, and healthcare workers may forget to wash their hands before and after glove use, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the gloves. Antiseptic wipes are useful for cleaning surfaces or hands but may not always eliminate all pathogens, especially if not used correctly or if the surface is heavily soiled. Masks are vital for respiratory protection, particularly during procedures that generate aerosols, but they do not address the transmission of pathogens that primarily occur via contaminated hands. Thus, promoting and adhering to strategies of thorough hand washing significantly reduces the occurrences of nosocomial infections by tackling the root of transmission effectively.