A triage nurse in the emergency department is reviewing clinical reports for incoming clients. Match each client's clinical presentation with the correct primary isolation precautions required upon their immediate arrival.
- Client presenting with a three-day history of high fever, coryza, and a spreading maculopapular rash with buccal mucosa lesionsAirborne Precautions (Requires negative-pressure room and N95 respirator)
- Client presenting with severe paroxysmal coughing spells followed by a high-pitched inspiratory sound and emesisDroplet Precautions (Requires private room and standard surgical mask)
- Client presenting with severe abdominal cramping and frequent, watery diarrhea three weeks after completing a prolonged antibiotic courseEnteric Contact Precautions (Requires gown, gloves, and mandatory soap-and-water hand hygiene)
- Client presenting with intense nocturnal pruritus and threadlike, linear burrows in the webbing of the fingersStandard Contact Precautions (Requires gown, gloves, and permits alcohol-based hand rub)
Answer
The measles presentation matches Airborne Precautions; the pertussis presentation matches Droplet Precautions; the suspected Clostridioides difficile matches Enteric Contact Precautions; the scabies presentation matches Standard Contact Precautions.
Each clinical presentation aligns with a specific pathogen or disease process that dictates precise transmission-based isolation protocols per CDC guidelines. Accurately synthesizing client symptoms to identify the suspected disease is a critical first step for nurses to select the correct personal protective equipment (PPE), room assignment, and hand hygiene method to prevent healthcare-associated infections.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions