A nurse is assisting with the development of a plan of care to manage pain for a client who has herpes zoster with lesions on the lower extremities. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the plan of care?

Herpes zoster causes painful vesicular lesions along a dermatome, and even light touch from bed linens can trigger severe neuropathic pain because the affected nerve fibers are hypersensitized. Keeping bed linens off the affected areas using a bed cradle is therefore a key comfort intervention and directly addresses the pain management goal stated in the stem. Droplet precautions are incorrect; herpes zoster requires contact precautions, and in immunocompromised patients or those with disseminated disease, airborne precautions may also be added — droplet precautions alone are not appropriate. A heat lamp is contraindicated because direct heat to open or crusted lesions risks burns, worsens inflammation, and increases risk of secondary infection in already-compromised skin. Warm, moist compresses may soothe some skin conditions but are not indicated for herpes zoster; wet compresses can macerate fragile vesicles, introduce bacteria, and increase the risk of secondary infection. Minimizing mechanical stimulation by keeping linens away from the lesions remains the evidence-supported approach to reducing allodynia and providing comfort for clients with herpes zoster affecting the extremities.