Changes in Britain’s National Health Service have led many British hospitals to end on-site laundry services for their staff.
Given that...
Changes in Britain’s National Health Service have led many British hospitals to end on-site laundry services for their staff.
The water in a typical residential washing machine, unlike that in the industrial washing machines used by hospitals, does not reach temperatures high enough to kill the dangerous bacterium Acinetobacter.
How can it be that...
Hospital officials believe that the discontinuation of the laundry services will not put patients at risk.
Evaluate
If on-site laundry services at hospitals are ending, it seems that hospital staff will need to wash their work clothes at home. But residential washing machines aren't going to kill a dangerous bacterium. It seems that this would put patients at risk. Why do hospital officials believe that it won't?
First, we aren't told that hospital staff will actually use residential machines now. Maybe they'll take their clothes to a laundromat, and maybe washers in laundromats get hot enough to kill the bacterium.
Maybe hospital staff can do something else at home to kill the bacteria, like using special detergent.
Also, we have not been told that Acinetobacter actually exists in hospitals. Maybe Acinetobacter is some rare bacterium that only exists at the bottom of the ocean. It might seem absurd for a correct answer to suggest this, but have you met the LSAT?
All kidding aside, by asking us to "justify the hospital officials' belief," this question assumes that Acinetobacter causes hospital patients to be at risk. A correct answer might challenge this assumption.
Goal
Look for an answer to suggest an alternative way to kill Acinetobacter. A correct answer might also challenge the idea that Acinetobacter causes any risk for hospital patients.