Final answer:
For a client with neutropenia due to chemotherapy, the nurse should include providing a private room and limiting visitors, especially to non-family members or those who might be ill, in the care plan. Prophylactic antibiotics may be considered, but not as a routine measure. Dietary adjustments should be personalized.
Step-by-step explanation:
A nurse creating a plan of care for a client with neutropenia due to chemotherapy should include interventions aimed at reducing the risk of infection, given the client's weakened immune system. Providing a private room for the patient is a critical measure as it reduces exposure to potential sources of infection. Limiting visitors, possibly to immediate family only, who are not sick, and using proper hand hygiene can also help minimize the risk of transmitting infections. While administering prophylactic antibiotics can be considered, it is not routinely recommended for all patients with neutropenia and should be based on the individual's risk factors and hospital protocols.
There is a distinction between neutropenia and actual infection. In the case where a patient develops a fever and suspected or documented infection, the prompt initiation of empirical broad-spectrum antibiotics is standard practice, but prophylactic antibiotics are more controversial because of the risk of contributing to antibiotic resistance. Encouraging a high-fiber diet is not specifically related to the care of neutropenia; dietary advice should be personalized and consider any potential risk of gastrointestinal injury or reduced bowel movements during chemotherapy.