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Question

Difficulty: MediumStandard and Transmission-Based Precautions

An adolescent diagnosed with pertussis (whooping cough) requires a diagnostic procedure in another department of the facility. Which infection control measure should the licensed practical nurse ensure is in place during the transfer?

  1. Apply a standard medical mask over the adolescent's nose and mouth prior to exiting the current room.Answer
  2. B
    Instruct the receiving department to prepare a negative-pressure environment for the procedure.
  3. C
    Assign an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to evaluate the adolescent's respiratory effort throughout the transit.
  4. D
    Equip the adolescent with a fitted N95 respirator and a fluid-resistant isolation gown.

Answer

The practical nurse should apply a standard medical mask over the adolescent's nose and mouth before initiating the transport.
Pertussis (whooping cough) requires Droplet Precautions because it is spread through large respiratory secretions. When transporting a client on Droplet Precautions outside of their designated room, the primary intervention is to place a standard medical mask (surgical mask) on the client to contain their coughing and secretions, thereby preventing transmission to others in the facility.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the transmission route and appropriate isolation category for the given diagnosis.
Pertussis is transmitted via large respiratory droplets, requiring Droplet Precautions.
Accurate identification of the isolation category dictates the required infection control measures.
2
Determine the standardized protocol for transporting a client on Droplet Precautions outside their room.
The standard protocol requires the client to wear a medical (surgical) mask to contain infectious respiratory secretions.
Containing the source of the infection prevents the spread of droplets to the environment and other individuals during transit.
3
Evaluate the remaining options against safety standards and the practical nurse's scope of practice.
Negative pressure and N95s apply to Airborne Precautions. Delegating respiratory evaluation to a UAP violates the scope of practice.
Ensures the selected action is both clinically appropriate for the specific pathogen and legally sound.

Key Concept

Droplet Precautions and Transport Protocols
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Topics

Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions

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