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Question

Difficulty: MediumStandard and Transmission-Based Precautions

During a busy shift on a medical-surgical unit, a practical nurse receives four new client transfer requests. To maintain standard and transmission-based precautions, which client requires the nurse to secure a negative-pressure airborne infection isolation room prior to arrival?

  1. A client diagnosed with a disseminated varicella-zoster infectionAnswer
  2. B
    A client diagnosed with bacterial meningococcal meningitis
  3. C
    A client diagnosed with active Clostridioides difficile colitis
  4. D
    A client diagnosed with a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection

Answer

A client diagnosed with a disseminated varicella-zoster infection
Disseminated varicella-zoster (chickenpox/shingles) is highly contagious and transmitted via small-particle aerosols that can remain suspended in the ambient air. Therefore, the client requires airborne precautions, which specifically mandates placement in a negative-pressure infection isolation room to safely vent the contaminated air to the outside, alongside the use of an N95 respirator.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary mode of transmission for each infectious condition presented in the client transfer list.
Varicella is airborne/contact; meningitis is droplet; Clostridioides difficile is contact; RSV is contact/droplet.
Accurate identification of transmission modes is required to determine the specific isolation room requirements.
2
Determine which transmission mode strictly requires a negative-pressure isolation room.
Airborne precautions require negative-pressure rooms.
Negative pressure prevents small, aerosolized infectious particles from drifting outward into public hallways.
3
Select the client whose diagnosis matches the airborne transmission requirement.
The client with disseminated varicella-zoster.
Disseminated varicella-zoster produces small-particle aerosols that remain suspended in the air, necessitating airborne isolation.

Key Concept

Airborne Precautions and Isolation Room Assignments
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Topics

Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions

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