What is the nurse's role in infection control?

The nurse's role in infection control is primarily focused on implementing prevention practices. This involves a wide range of actions aimed at preventing the spread of infections within healthcare settings. Nurses play a critical role in promoting hand hygiene, ensuring proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), following isolation protocols, and educating patients about infection prevention strategies. By implementing these practices, nurses help safeguard both patients and healthcare staff from potential infections.

While developing new medications is crucial for treating infections, it falls outside the typical duties of a nurse and is primarily the responsibility of pharmaceutical researchers and developers. Managing patient billing is also unrelated to infection control, as it focuses more on administrative tasks rather than patient care and safety. Discharging patients quickly, while important for hospital workflow, does not directly impact infection control practices. The priority is to ensure that patients are safe and not at risk of infections before they leave the healthcare facility. Therefore, the focus on implementing prevention practices truly encapsulates the essential role that nurses play in managing and controlling infections within a healthcare environment.