A nurse is caring for a client who has shingles with multiple skin lesions. Which of the following actions by the nurse require intervention nurse’s supervisor?
A.
The nurse wears gloves when providing direct care to the patient.
B.
The nurse admits another client who has shingles to the client’s double room.
C.
The nurse wears a gown when bathing the client.
D.
The nurse wears an N95 respirator mask
The correct answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is B. The nurse admits another client who has shingles to the client’s double room.
Explanation:
Shingles (herpes zoster) is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox. It manifests as a painful rash with blisters, usually on one side of the body. The virus can be spread through direct contact with the fluid from the blisters of an infected person, but it can also be transmitted via airborne droplets if the blisters are not covered.
Infection Control Measures:
- Isolation Precautions: Patients with shingles require contact precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. If the shingles lesions are not covered, airborne precautions are also necessary. This means the patient should ideally be in a private room to prevent transmission to others. If a private room is not available, the patient should be placed in a room with another patient who has shingles or chickenpox, not a person without a history of these infections.
- Room Sharing Considerations: Admitting another patient with shingles to the same room as a patient who already has shingles can be risky if there are lesions that are not adequately covered. This is especially crucial if the new patient has lesions in areas where they are not covered, increasing the risk of infection transmission.
- Appropriate Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
- Gloves (A): Wearing gloves when providing direct care is appropriate for contact precautions.
- Gown (C): Wearing a gown when bathing the patient is also appropriate for contact precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.
- N95 Respirator (D): Wearing an N95 respirator mask is not typically necessary unless the lesions are in a location that could produce airborne droplets, such as the mouth or throat. In standard cases of shingles, a surgical mask is usually sufficient.
By admitting another client with shingles into the same double room, the risk of cross-contamination and spread of the virus is heightened, particularly if lesions are not contained or covered properly. The proper course of action would involve placing each patient with shingles in a private room or ensuring the rooming situation adheres strictly to isolation guidelines to minimize risk. This measure ensures optimal infection control and safety for all patients.