The nurse is caring for a patient in an intensive care unit who needs a bath. Which priority action will the nurse take to decrease the potential for a health care-associated infection?

Using a chlorhexidine wash is the priority action to decrease the potential for a health care-associated infection (HAI) in ICU patients. Research and guidelines from organizations such as the CDC and the Society of Critical Care Medicine support daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing as an evidence-based practice that significantly reduces colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms, catheter-related bloodstream infections, and other HAIs. CHG has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and maintains residual activity on the skin even after rinsing, making it superior to soap-and-water or unmedicated cleansers for high-risk ICU populations. Using nonallergenic tape on dressings reduces the risk of skin breakdown and contact dermatitis but does not directly target microbial reduction. Using filtered water is not a standard infection-control recommendation for routine bathing in ICU patients. Using a local anesthetic on reddened areas addresses comfort and potential skin breakdown but has no antimicrobial benefit and does not reduce the risk of HAI. Therefore, the chlorhexidine wash is the most directly evidence-based intervention to prevent infection in this clinical context.