A child in admitted with severe RSV. The nurse would place the client in which transmission-based precaution?

A. The client's sodium and chloride levels will rise:CO₂ retention affects acid-base balance more directly than it affects electrolyte concentrations like sodium or chloride. Changes in these levels may occur in severe or chronic cases, but they are not the initial response.

B. The client's arterial blood gas results will reflect acidosis:When CO₂ accumulates in the blood due to hypoventilation, it forms carbonic acid, lowering blood pH. This results in respiratory acidosis, which is typically the earliest and most direct physiological response to CO₂ retention.

C. The client will lose consciousness:Loss of consciousness may occur if CO₂ levels rise dramatically and go uncorrected. However, this is a late sign of severe respiratory failure, not the initial or most sensitive indicator.

D. The client will complain of facial numbness and tingling:These symptoms are more characteristic of respiratory alkalosis, often due to hyperventilation, not CO₂ retention. In respiratory acidosis, symptoms are more likely to include drowsiness, confusion, or headache.

A. When the chest x-ray shows no indication of TB:Chest x-rays can remain abnormal even after successful treatment. Radiographic improvement is not a reliable indicator for stopping therapy.

B. When the TB skin test is no longer positive:The TB skin test often remains positive for life after infection or exposure and does not reflect current disease activity or treatment response.

C. When the medication has been taken for 6 months:Although the standard treatment duration is often 6 months, therapy duration alone is not sufficient without confirming bacteriological clearance via sputum testing.

D. When three consecutive sputum cultures are negative:This is the most reliable indicator that the patient is no longer infectious and the treatment has been effective, especially in active pulmonary TB. It ensures eradication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.