Final answer:
To prevent the spread of health care-associated infections, the focus should be on hand hygiene, contact precautions, and thorough cleaning and disinfecting of patient care equipment, with hand hygiene being particularly vital.
Step-by-step explanation:
The essential strategies to prevent the spread of health care-associated infections (HAIs) include hand hygiene, contact precautions, and thorough cleaning and disinfecting of patient care equipment. Thorough hand hygiene is perhaps the single most important defense against HAIs, requiring meticulous washing between every patient contact, especially after the removal of gloves or after contact with bodily fluids.
Contact precautions involve isolating patients with highly transmissible infections, like Marisa in the reference, to prevent cross-contamination. Meticulous cleaning and disinfecting of patient care equipment is crucial to eliminate potential pathogens. Regular assessment of the infection control program, although important, is not a direct strategy for preventing the immediate transmission of infections. By consistently applying these measures, healthcare providers can significantly reduce the prevalence of HAIs in clinical settings.