A nurse is admitting a client who has hepatitis
A.
Contact.
B.
Droplet.
C.
Standard.
D.
Airborne.
The correct answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is C. Standard.
Explanation
Hepatitis A is a viral infection that primarily affects the liver and is transmitted through the fecal-oral route, typically from contaminated food or water, or through close contact with an infected person. When admitting a client with hepatitis A, the appropriate precautionary measures are guided by Standard Precautions.
Standard Precautions are a set of infection control practices used to prevent the transmission of infectious agents. These precautions apply to all patients, regardless of their diagnosis, and include:
- Hand Hygiene: Proper hand washing or the use of hand sanitizer before and after patient contact.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Use of gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection as necessary, based on the anticipated exposure to blood, body fluids, or other potentially infectious materials.
- Respiratory Hygiene: Measures to ensure that respiratory secretions are contained, although this is less relevant in the case of hepatitis A.
- Safe Injection Practices: Ensuring the safety of injections and the handling of sharps to prevent needle-stick injuries.
- Environmental Cleaning: Proper cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and equipment that might have been contaminated.
In contrast, other precaution categories include:
- Contact Precautions: Used for infections that spread through direct or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces or materials. While hepatitis A can be spread through contact with fecal material, Standard Precautions are sufficient for routine care since the transmission route is primarily fecal-oral.
- Droplet Precautions: Used for infections spread through large respiratory droplets, such as influenza or pertussis. Hepatitis A does not spread through respiratory droplets.
- Airborne Precautions: Used for infections that spread through tiny airborne particles, such as tuberculosis or chickenpox. Hepatitis A does not have an airborne transmission route.
By adhering to Standard Precautions, healthcare providers effectively minimize the risk of transmission of hepatitis A and protect both themselves and other patients in the healthcare setting.