Approximately what percentage of hospital patients develop a nosocomial infection?

• A. 40%
• B. 3%
• C. 25%
• D. 95%

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the term 'nosocomial infection': it refers to infections that patients acquire while receiving treatment in a hospital or healthcare facility, which were not present or incubating at the time of admission.
2. Recall or research epidemiological data on nosocomial infections, which typically show the percentage of hospital patients who develop these infections during their stay.
3. Recognize that common statistics from health organizations indicate that the percentage of hospital patients who develop nosocomial infections is relatively low, often around a few percent rather than very high values like 40% or 95%.
4. Compare the given answer choices (3%, 25%, 40%, 95%) with known data to identify the most accurate estimate for the percentage of hospital patients affected by nosocomial infections.
5. Conclude that the correct approximate percentage is the smallest value provided, which aligns with epidemiological studies indicating about 3% of hospital patients develop nosocomial infections.