A nurse caring for an elderly client who has had surgery and is in the

A nurse caring for an elderly client who has had surgery and is in the hospital knows that the cli-ent is at high risk for developing a nosocomial infection.

One of the most important things that the nurse can do to prevent this client from obtaining a nosocomial infection is to:
1. Practice appropriate hand hygiene
2. Request prophylactic antibiotics for the client
3. Place the client in isolation
4. Encourage the client to turn, cough and deep breath every 2 hours

ANSWER

ANS: 2
Antibiotics should be used appropriately to prevent resistant organisms. The best way to prevent nosocomial infections is to perform hand hygiene before and after each client encounter and after contact with contaminated objects. Isolation will not in itself prevent a nosocomial infection. Answer 4 will help prevent atelectasis, but not necessarily a nosocomial infection.