Question

A charge nurse is conducting an in-service with staff members about infection control precautions. The nurse should instruct the staff that which of the following clients requires droplet precautions?

Option 1: A client who has shigella.

Option 2: A client who has measles.

Option 3: A client who has toxic shock syndrome.

Option 4: A client who has pertussis.

Answer 1

The client requiring droplet precautions is the one with pertussis, a condition spread through coughing and sneezing, leading to infectious droplets. Pertussis necessitates healthcare professionals to use droplet precautions like wearing surgical masks and practicing rigorous hand hygiene to prevent transmission.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the clients listed, the one that requires droplet precautions is a client who has pertussis. Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious bacterial infection that can be spread by coughing and sneezing, leading to the transmission of infectious droplets. Therefore, to prevent the spread of pertussis, healthcare professionals should use droplet precautions when interacting with an infected patient. This includes wearing a surgical mask when within 3 feet of the patient and ensuring that the patient wears a mask when being transported outside the room. Other infection control precautions such as hand hygiene, use of gloves, and gown should also be followed.

Contrastingly, shigella primarily requires contact precautions, as it is spread through direct or indirect contact with the fecal matter of an infected person. Toxic shock syndrome does not typically require droplet precautions as it is most often associated with certain bacterial toxins. Clients with measles require airborne precautions due to the highly contagious nature of the measles virus and its ability to remain suspended in air and travel long distances.