A community health nurse is caring for a client who has laryngeal tuberculosis. Which of the following isolation precautions should the nurse recommend for this client?
A. Airborne precautions
B. Contact precautions
C. Protective environment
D. Droplet precautions
The correct answer and Explanation is :
For a client with laryngeal tuberculosis (TB), the appropriate isolation precaution to recommend is:
A. Airborne precautions
Explanation:
Laryngeal tuberculosis is a form of tuberculosis that affects the larynx (voice box) and is known to be highly infectious. Tuberculosis is primarily spread through airborne droplets that are released when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or even talks. Because of this mode of transmission, airborne precautions are critical to prevent the spread of TB to others, especially in healthcare settings.
Airborne precautions are designed to protect against pathogens that are transmitted through tiny airborne particles. For TB, this includes:
- Use of N95 Respirators: Healthcare workers should wear N95 respirators, which are designed to filter out airborne particles including the TB bacteria. Regular surgical masks are not sufficient for this purpose.
- Negative Pressure Rooms: Patients with active TB should be placed in a negative pressure room. This type of room helps to ensure that air flows into the room but not out of it, thereby reducing the risk of airborne contaminants escaping into other areas.
- Environmental Controls: Regular air exchanges and proper ventilation are crucial. Ensuring that the room has high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters can further reduce the risk of airborne transmission.
- Patient Management: Patients with laryngeal TB should be instructed to cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, and they should be encouraged to practice good hand hygiene.
In contrast:
- Contact precautions are used for infections transmitted through direct or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces or items. This is not applicable for airborne pathogens like TB.
- Protective environment precautions are generally used for immunocompromised patients to prevent infection from airborne or droplet sources, but not specifically for TB.
- Droplet precautions are used for infections spread through larger respiratory droplets, such as influenza or certain types of meningitis, not for TB, which requires airborne precautions due to its smaller, more easily aerosolized particles.
Overall, airborne precautions are crucial for controlling the spread of laryngeal tuberculosis and ensuring both patient and healthcare worker safety.