Nursing Process: Assessment
The nurse admits Raymond to a private room at the end of the hall. According to hospital protocol, the
nurse puts on a mask before starting the admission process. Raymond tells the nurse that his significant
other is downstairs and that he would like for him to stay in the room with him.
How should the nurse respond?
"Your healthcare provider (HCP) wants you to get some rest."
Raymond is requesting an opportunity for psychosocial support, which should be honored by the nurse.
"He may stay, but only after we have the results of his tuberculin skin test."
Significant others may stay with appropriate protective equipment.
"He may stay, but he needs to wear a mask."
Raymond's significant other may stay in the room, but he should wear a mask to help decrease the
possibility of contracting the TB organism.
"You don't want to risk infecting your significant other with TB, do you?"
Raymond's partner has already been exposed. In addition, this response denies Raymond the support he
is requesting.
Section 2
Raymond's significant other, Brandon, arrives. Raymond wants to know why a mask is necessary for
people entering his room.
What teaching should the nurse implement?
Explain the use of a private room and mobile high-efficiency particle filters placed in the room.
These are necessary precautions against infectious, airborne diseases such as tuberculosis (TB).
However, providing this information does not answer Raymond's question.
Explain that the tuberculosis (TB) organism is most often spread through the air.
When an infected person coughs or sneezes, they produce infectious droplets that can be breathed in by
another person. This answer provides Raymond with the scientific rationale for wearing a mask.
Tell Raymond that tuberculosis (TB) will not be spread to others, and everything will be okay if the
mask is worn.
This is false information. Wearing a mask will not prevent the contraction of tuberculosis (TB), but it will
reduce the risk of contracting the disease.
Tell Raymond that masks are required for those persons who do not agree to be vaccinated with
BCG vaccine.
The BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guerin) vaccine is not generally recommended for use in the United States. It
is only used for very select persons who meet specific criteria.
Section 3
Safety and Infection Control
The unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) asks why Raymond could not be in an empty semiprivate room
closer to the nurse's station so the staff would not have to walk so far to provide care.
What information should the nurse provide to the UAP on infection control practices?
, The client needs to be at the end of the hall because he requires privacy.
This is not the reason for the location of Raymond's room.
The implementation of airborne precautions for possible TB requires a private, negative pressure
room assignment.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in addition to isolating Raymond by using a private
room, engineering controls can help to prevent the spread of TB. Controlling the direction of the airflow
can prevent contamination of air in adjacent areas.
A private room is required to implement contact precautions for possible TB.
Airborne precautions, rather than contact precautions, are required to prevent the spread of TB.
The client needs to be at the end of the hall for confidentiality.
Confidentiality is provided for every client, regardless of the client’s room location.
Submit
The nurse notices the UAP about to enter Raymond's room to deliver a meal tray without wearing any
protective apparel.
What information should the nurse provide to the UAP?
A mask is required for healthcare workers entering the room of someone suspected of having active
TB.
TB is spread by airborne transmission of droplet nuclei. A specific fit tested, high-efficiency particulate air
(HEPA) mask is necessary to filter the mycobacterium tuberculosis bacillus.
Wearing a mask, gown, and gloves is required for healthcare workers entering Raymond’s room for
any reason.
The only protective apparel required when entering the room is a HEPA mask.
The UAP will only be in the room for a brief moment to deliver the tray, so no intervention is needed
by the nurse.
Since TB is spread by airborne transmission of droplet nuclei, a HEPA mask is necessary for the UAP to
wear. The nurse needs to inform the UAP of this and ensure that appropriate personal protective
equipment is worn in Raymond’s room.
Non-sterile gloves are necessary to deliver the meal and prevent the spread of TB.
Gloves do not prevent the transmission of an airborne organism.
Submit
Previous Section
Section 4
Nursing Process: Intervention
An acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stain is part of the initial admission prescriptions. Early morning sputum
specimens will be collected for 3 consecutive days and sent to the lab.
Which tasks may the nurse delegate to the UAP?
Select all that apply
Have the UAP tell Raymond that the specimen must be collected in the early morning.
This task may be delegated.
Provide Raymond with three sterile specimen cups at his bedside.
This task may be delegated.