Standard precautions are established by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) How would a nurse explain when standard precautions are to be used with a client?

Choice A rationale:

Using a fire extinguisher should not be the nurse's first action in this situation. The nurse's priority is to ensure the safety of the clients and staff in the vicinity. Attempting to use a fire extinguisher might not be effective and can potentially cause harm, especially if the fire spreads quickly.

Choice B rationale:

Activating the fire alarm is the nurse's priority in this situation. By activating the fire alarm, the nurse can alert everyone in the facility about the fire, ensuring that people are aware and can evacuate safely. This action initiates the facility's fire response protocol, leading to a quicker and organized response to the emergency.

Choice C rationale:

Moving clients to safety is important, but it is not the nurse's immediate priority in this situation. Activating the fire alarm should be done first to ensure that everyone in the facility is aware of the danger, and then the nurse can assist in moving clients to safety if necessary.

Choice A rationale:

Standard precautions, as established by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), are to be used for any client, regardless of whether an infection has been identified. This means that healthcare providers, including nurses, must apply standard precautions in the care of all patients to prevent the spread of infections. The rationale behind this choice is based on the fundamental principle of infection control: it is not always possible to identify patients who may be carrying harmful pathogens. Some patients may not show visible signs of infection or may be in the incubation period of a disease, during which they are contagious but not symptomatic. Therefore, applying standard precautions universally helps to create a safe healthcare environment for both patients and healthcare providers. Standard precautions include practices such as hand hygiene, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves and masks, safe injection practices, and respiratory hygiene.

Choice B rationale:

This choice incorrectly specifies the mode of transmission for using standard precautions. Standard precautions are not limited to cases where the infection is transmitted on air currents. Airborne precautions are used for diseases that spread via small droplets in the air, such as tuberculosis and measles. Standard precautions, on the other hand, cover a broader range of infections and are applied to all patients.

Choice C rationale:

This choice incorrectly narrows down the usage of standard precautions to cases where the infection spreads via moist droplets. While it is true that standard precautions include measures to prevent the transmission of infections through respiratory droplets, they are not limited to this mode of transmission. Standard precautions encompass various modes of transmission, including contact with blood and other body fluids, as well as contact with contaminated surfaces or items.

Choice D rationale:

This choice wrongly states that standard precautions are only used when there is an infection spread by indirect contact with an organism. Standard precautions include both direct and indirect contact with patients and their environment. It is not limited to specific types of infections or modes of transmission.