Aclient has an inguinal hernia repair and later develops a methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) infection. what is the most important factor to prevent this infection?

The most important factor in preventing such an infection is surgical asepsis.
In medicine, surgical asepsis is the "cleanest clean" that may be obtained. Surgical asepsis is carried out whenever a foreign object is to be introduced within the patient's body because this transmission provides a direct pathway for any microorganisms that may be present. A part of surgical asepsis is the sterilization of all items and surroundings.