A nurse is assisting with the admission of a client who has meningococcal pneumonia. Which of the following isolation precautions should the nurse initiate?

Choice A reason: Not wearing artificial nails during client care is a recommended practice to prevent the spread of infection, as artificial nails can harbor bacteria.

Choice B reason: Washing hands when they are visibly dirty is correct, but hand hygiene should also be performed at other times, such as before and after patient contact, regardless of the appearance of cleanliness.

Choice C reason: Changing gloves is not a substitute for hand washing. Hand hygiene is necessary before donning gloves and after removing them to prevent the transmission of pathogens.

Choice D reason: Using alcohol-based hand products is a standard practice in healthcare settings and is effective in killing most bacteria and viruses when the hands are not visibly soiled.

Choice A reason: The FACES pain scale is commonly used for children who are able to select a face that best describes their pain. However, this scale is not suitable for a 6-month-old infant post-myringotomy, as infants of this age cannot verbally communicate or reliably choose a face to represent their pain level.

Choice B reason: The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) is typically used for older children and adults who can understand and indicate their level of pain by marking a point on a line. This scale is not appropriate for infants due to their developmental stage and inability to communicate or understand the concept of the scale.

Choice C reason: The Oucher pain scale includes both a photographic scale with pictures of children's faces showing different levels of pain and a numerical scale. While it is designed for children aged 3 to 12 years, it is not suitable for infants, as they cannot verbally express their pain or point to a photograph to indicate their pain level.

Choice D reason: The FLACC scale, which stands for Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability, is an appropriate choice for assessing pain in infants and young children who are non-verbal. It involves observing specific behaviors and assigning a score from 0 to 2 for each category, resulting in a total score between 0 and 10. This observational tool allows healthcare providers to assess pain levels based on the infant's behavior and physiological responses.