Final answer:
If a client has a positive culture for MRSA, the nurse should initiate contact precautions. MRSA is concerning due to its antibiotic resistance and the potential to transfer resistance to other bacteria, leading to 'super bugs'. Treating MRSA effectively requires timely usage of the right antibiotics.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a client has a positive culture for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the nurse should initiate contact precautions. This requires the client to be isolated from other patients to prevent the spread of this highly contagious infection. Contact precautions typically involve the nurse wearing protective clothing such as gowns and gloves, and possibly masks, depending on the situation. Family members visiting the patient would need to follow similar precautions to avoid the transmission of MRSA. Moreover, placing the client in a room with negative pressure is unnecessary for MRSA and is typically reserved for airborne pathogens such as tuberculosis. Discontinuing antibiotics immediately would be inappropriate because treatment is necessary to manage the infection. It's critical to use the correct antibiotics rapidly to address the infection and to minimize the risk of developing additional antibiotic resistance.
Medical professionals are concerned about MRSA because it is not only resistant to many commonly used antibiotics, including methicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin, and oxacillin, but it can also transfer methicillin-resistance to other bacteria, potentially leading to the emergence of a 'super bug.' MRSA infections are a concern in health care settings (hospital-acquired MRSA) and in community settings (community-associated MRSA), affecting populations such as military personnel and prisoners. There are effective antibiotics against MRSA such as trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMZ), clindamycin, and linezolid, but their success depends on prompt and appropriate use.