Which of the following statements about multi-dose vials is true?

Multi-dose vials are intended for use in multiple doses, but one of the best practices in infection control is to assign a multi-dose vial to a single resident whenever possible. This helps minimize the risk of cross-contamination and ensures a higher level of patient safety. Keeping the vial dedicated to one individual reduces the chance that pathogens from one patient could be inadvertently introduced to another, especially in environments where infection risks are heightened, such as healthcare settings.

While multi-dose vials can indeed be shared, doing so requires strict adherence to infection control protocols, and they must be handled carefully to prevent contamination. Keeping vials dedicated to an individual springboards effective infection prevention by creating barriers against pathogen spread, thus maintaining a safer healthcare environment.