The patient is in isolation in a negative-pressure room for active tuberculosis.He coughs and spews large amounts of blood-tinged sputum but is too weak to cover his mouth and nose with a tissue.Which is the most important intervention for the nurse to implement for self-protection while providing nursing care?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Wearing suitable protective barriers is the most important intervention to implement because it protects the nurse from the airborne particles and the pathogens that can land on surfaces from droplets of the patient's coughing.The nurse wears a mask suitable for airborne precautions to prevent inhalation of suspended Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the air and gloves,gown,and goggles to protect clothing and mucous membranes from contact with body fluids because of the patient's poor hygiene due to his weakened state.Respirator masks are used in airborne precautions because these masks filter what the wearer inhales.The patient should wear a mask if he or she must leave the room because a surgical mask controls what the wearer exhales; a mask for the patient is not indicated in the isolation room.The nurse can inhale airborne particles through the pores of a surgical mask,regardless of how well it fits,because a surgical mask controls what is exhaled.

The Patient Is in Isolation in a Negative-Pressure Room for Active