RN Nursing · Infection Control · Practice question
A nurse is admitting a client who requires droplet precautions due to influenza. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
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✓
Wear a mask when providing care to the client
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Place the client in a room with negative airflow.
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Ensure the client's room has HEPA filtration.
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Wear gloves and mask when within 6 feet of the client.
Answer & explanation
Correct: Wear a mask when providing care to the client
Droplet precautions are used for pathogens spread through large respiratory droplets, such as influenza, which typically travel no more than 3 to 6 feet from the source. The primary protective measure is wearing a surgical mask when providing direct care to the client. This is distinct from airborne precautions, which require a negative-pressure room and an N95 respirator. Negative airflow rooms and HEPA filtration are requirements for airborne precautions, used for pathogens like tuberculosis, measles, and varicella, not for droplet-spread illnesses. Gloves are indicated when contact with body fluids or mucous membranes is anticipated, but wearing gloves and a mask simply for being within 6 feet is a contact precaution element rather than the standard droplet precaution requirement. The core intervention for droplet precautions is mask use during patient care interactions. Placing a client on droplet precautions also typically includes a private room or cohorting, and the door may remain open, which further distinguishes it from airborne precautions where the door must remain closed and sealed to maintain negative pressure.
Study note
Standard Precautions: Core Infection Control for Every Patient
A concise review of standard precautions in nursing practice, covering hand hygiene, PPE, safe injection practices, respiratory hygiene, and environmental control.
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