A nurse is caring for a group of clients in an infectious disease unit. The nurse should wear an OSHA-approved N95 respirator mask when caring for a client with which of the following infectious diseases?

A. Wound drainage: While monitoring wound drainage is important to assess for infection or complications, airway patency is the priority in the immediate postoperative period. Ensuring the airway is clear and secure is the first priority.

B. Tissue integrity: Tissue integrity is crucial for healing, but it is secondary to ensuring the airway is patent. If the airway is compromised, tissue integrity becomes less of a concern until the airway is stable.

C. Pain severity: Managing pain is essential, but pain assessment should not take precedence over ensuring that the airway is open and functional. Airway compromise can lead to life-threatening situations and needs immediate attention.

D. Airway patency: After a laryngectomy, ensuring the airway remains patent is the highest priority. Obstruction or difficulty breathing can lead to respiratory distress, which can be life-threatening in the immediate postoperative period.

A. The student should use his quick-relief inhaler: The yellow zone indicates that the asthma is worsening, and the student should use a quick-relief inhaler (e.g., albuterol) to help relieve symptoms and prevent further exacerbation.

B. The student's asthma is not well controlled: The yellow zone typically suggests that asthma is not well controlled, and the student may be experiencing some symptoms (e.g., coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath). This requires action to prevent further worsening.

C. The nurse should obtain a second expiratory flow rate: Repeating the peak flow measurement is not always necessary. If the student is already in the yellow zone, it’s more important to initiate management and then reassess the symptoms and peak flow afterward.

D. The student needs to go to the hospital: A yellow zone reading does not necessarily mean the student needs to go to the hospital. It indicates the need for intervention but is not an emergency situation like the red zone would be, which requires immediate medical attention.

E. The student's peak flow is 50% to 80% of his best peak flow: The yellow zone is defined as 50% to 80% of the individual's best peak flow. This indicates that asthma symptoms are present and worsening but not yet at a critical level that would place the student in the red zone.