Question

A nurse is working with a 55-year-old woman diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This nurse has another client that day who has an upper respiratory infection. What is the most important thing the nurse can do to prevent the client with HIV from acquiring the upper respiratory infection?

A.) wear a mask and gown in the client's room
B.) avoid direct contact with the client
C.) wear gloves when touching the client
D.) perform hand hygiene before and after entering the client's room

Answer 1

The most crucial action a nurse can take to shield an HIV patient from an upper respiratory infection is diligent hand hygiene before and after patient contact, as it's the best method to prevent infection transmission.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most important thing that a nurse can do to prevent a client with HIV from acquiring an upper respiratory infection is to perform hand hygiene before and after entering the client's room. Given that HIV can weaken the immune system, making an individual more susceptible to infections, healthcare providers must practice strict hand hygiene to minimize the risk of transmitting infections between clients. This practice is aligned with infection control protocols which emphasize hand hygiene as the most effective way to prevent the spread of infections in healthcare settings.