ATI Fundamentals of Nursing Practice Test 2026 – Complete All-in-One Guide for Priority-Setting, Infection Control, and Health Care Delivery Success!

The correct answer identifies the client who has acquired an infection from a visitor as a susceptible host. In the chain of infection, the susceptible host is the individual who is vulnerable to becoming infected due to factors like compromised immunity, age, or underlying health conditions. When a visitor introduces an infectious agent, the client, as a susceptible host, is at risk of infection because their defenses are inadequate to combat the pathogen.

Understanding the susceptible host's role is crucial in infection control practices. By identifying and addressing the vulnerabilities of susceptible hosts, healthcare providers can implement preventive measures, such as vaccination or heightened hygiene practices, to protect them from infections.

The other aspects of the chain of infection, such as the infectious agent and mode of transmission, play roles in how infections spread, but in this scenario, it is the client's status as a susceptible host that is most relevant to the infection acquired from the visitor.