A patient is sent home with an open wound that is still infected and being treated with wet-to-dry dressing changes four times a day. Before discharge, in order to prevent infecting other family members, the nurse would teach the patient to:

Choice A rationale

Dressings are typically sterilized using steam or other standard methods, not ethylene oxide gas, which is reserved for materials that are sensitive to heat and moisture.

Choice B rationale

Surgical instruments are commonly sterilized using steam autoclaving, which is highly effective and efficient.

Choice C rationale

Floors and walls do not require sterilization with ethylene oxide gas; standard cleaning and disinfection methods are sufficient.

Choice D rationale

Heat-sensitive items require ethylene oxide gas sterilization because it is effective at low temperatures without damaging delicate materials.

Choice A rationale

Organisms that cause the infection refer to the pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi. In the context of pneumococcal pneumonia, the organism is Streptococcus pneumoniae. The lungs do not serve as the organisms; they are the site of infection.

Choice B rationale

Transmission of the disease involves the spread of pathogens from one individual to another. Pneumococcal pneumonia is transmitted via respiratory droplets, not the lungs serving as the transmission medium.

Choice C rationale

Mode of transfer refers to the mechanisms by which an infection spreads, such as direct contact, airborne, or vector-borne. The lungs are not a mode of transfer; they are the site of infection.

Choice D rationale

Reservoirs are places where pathogens live, grow, and multiply. In the case of pneumococcal pneumonia, the lungs act as a reservoir where the bacteria can grow and cause infection.