The nurse is aware that the best way to prevent postoperative wound infection in the surgical client is to:
A. Administer a prescribed antibiotic B. Wash her hands for 2 minutes before care C. Wear a mask when providing care D. Ask the client to cover her mouth when she coughs
Great, an infection control question! These ones are usually of the more straightforward variety that you will encounter on your NCLEX.
Remember that, out of the above answers, most if not all of the answers are correct... we are just looking for the MOST correct!
So, the question is truly asking, "What is the best way to prevent infection?"
Here's the simple answer: NCLEX always, always, 100,000% of the time, will choose handwashing as the single best way to prevent infection. No joke. The answer is B.
But let's say you didn't know that. Let's look at the other answers.
Giving a prescribed antibiotic, although an effective treatment, doesn't truly prevent an infection from starting. Wearing a mask while providing care protects the patient from you but you're not the only source of infection with which the patient will make contact. And the client can't infect herself with her own cough, although of course we want her to cover her mouth while she coughs!
Physically scrubbing your hands with soap and water for 2 minutes in a surgical environment (or for at least the time required to sing Happy Birthday to yourself on a regular medical/surgical floor) is the best way to prevent infection! Remember this NCLEX tip because you will see a variation of this question over and over again.
I call those deja vu questions. Did you get the question right? Let me know!