Ch. 23 Infection Control
To eliminate needle sticks as potential hazards to nurses, the nurse should:
Immediately deposit uncapped needles into puncture-proof plastic container.
The nurse is teaching a new nurse about preparing a sterile field. Which action made by the new nurse would indicate further teaching is required?
The new nurse touches 1.5 in (4 cm) from the outer edges.
A pediatric client's caregiver states, "I will never give my child vaccinations." What is the priority nursing response?
"Help me understand your thoughts about vaccinations."
The nurse is caring for a client who requires droplet precautions. Which statement made by the client would indicate further teaching is required?
"I can leave my room any time I want as long as I wear a mask."
Several family members are visiting a client with an antibiotic-resistant infection who has been placed on contact precautions. When the nurse teaches the visitors about wearing gloves and gown, a family member states, "I don't want to wear those. I can't catch anything just by holding my loved one's hand." What is the appropriate nursing response?
"These barriers help to prevent the transmission of infection."
The nurse has admitted a client on airborne precautions onto the medical-surgical unit. When the client asks, "When will these airborne precautions be removed?" what is the appropriate nursing response?
"When your sputum culture is negative."
A nursing student is preparing to perform wound care for a hospital patient. When establishing a sterile field, the nurse should consider what areas to be nonsterile?
A 1-inch (2.5 cm) margin around the edge of the field
A student nurse is addressing the chain of infection when implementing the principles of infection control. How can the student best address the mode of transmission?
By performing hand hygiene consistently
The nurse is donning a pair of sterile gloves. The nurse correctly dons the first glove, but inadvertently inserts the thumb and index finger into the thumb hole of the second glove. The glove remains intact. Which action is most appropriate?
Continue to don the glove, then use the other gloved hand to carefully insert the finger into the proper hole.
The nurse has finished caring for a client on contact precautions. Which nursing action regarding the stethoscope used to auscultate this client's lungs and bowel sounds is appropriate?
Disinfect it with alcohol swabs.
A nurse follows surgical asepsis techniques for inserting an indwelling urinary catheter in a client. What is an accurate guideline for using this technique?
Hold sterile objects above waist level to prevent inadvertent contamination.
A nurse is taking stock of the equipment in the room of an older adult client with pneumonia who has been on parenteral nutrition for a long time. Which equipment can transmit infection to older adult clients?
Indwelling catheter
A nurse is working with a 55-year-old woman diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This nurse also has another client today who has an upper respiratory infection. What is the most important thing the nurse can do to prevent the client with HIV from acquiring the upper respiratory infection?
Perform hand hygiene before and after entering the client's room.
The nurse is caring for a client who has been placed in strict isolation. Which nursing action is appropriate?
Remove fresh fruit from the room.
A nurse has finished providing morning care for a patient and is now planning to perform hand hygiene. Alcohol-based hand rub would be inappropriate in which of the following circumstances?
The nurse's hands are visibly soiled.
A nurse is providing care to a client who has Salmonella food poisoning. The nurse understands that this pathogen was transmitted by which mechanism?
Vehicle
The nurse is reviewing the plan of care for assigned clients. Which client has the highest risk for developing an infection?
an older adult client with a history of heart failure
The nurse is caring for an older adult with a recurrent wound infection. Which precautions will the nurse begin?
contact
Which nursing action is a component of medical asepsis?
hand washing after removing gloves
The nurse is caring for a client who became very ill after ingesting seafood. How will the nurse document this condition?
noncommunicable disease
The nurse manager is developing a plan to decrease the transmission of healthcare associated infections. What would be the best to implement?
staff education on utilizing hand hygiene
Which is not appropriate regarding the use of gowns as PPE?
use of one gown per person per shift
The nurse is receiving a confused client with a draining wound onto the medical-surgical unit. Which room assignment will the nurse make?
into a private room