The practical nurse (PN) administers an injection using a syringe with a retractable needle. After the needle is removed from the client's skin, the needle does not retract, and the PN gets stuck in the finger with the used needle. What action should the PN take first?

The correct answer is choice D. Don non-sterile gloves when performing direct care.

Choice A rationale:

Placing a surgical mask on the client during transport is not necessary for preventing the spread of Clostridium difficile. C. difficile is primarily spread through contact with contaminated surfaces and not through airborne transmission.

Choice B rationale:

Keeping the door closed to the client’s room at all times is not required for C. difficile infection. The focus should be on contact precautions rather than airborne precautions.

Choice C rationale:

Wearing a particulate respirator mask is not needed for C. difficile, as it is not an airborne pathogen. Standard contact precautions are sufficient.

Choice D rationale:

Donning non-sterile gloves when performing direct care is essential to prevent the spread of C. difficile. The spores can be transmitted via the hands of healthcare workers, so wearing gloves helps to minimize this risk.

The correct answer isChoice B.

Choice B rationale:

The practical nurse (PN) should instruct the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to keep the client's skin clean and dry. Proper skin care is essential for a client with urinary and fecal incontinence to prevent the development of pressure ulcers. Keeping the skin clean and dry helps reduce moisture-related skin breakdown.

Choice A rationale:

Encouraging the client to rest quietly in bed is not directly related to preventing pressure ulcers. While adequate rest is essential for overall health, it does not specifically address the risk of pressure ulcers in an incontinent client.

Choice C rationale:

Obtaining supplies for contact precautions is unrelated to the client's risk of developing a sacral pressure ulcer. Contact precautions are used to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and do not address skin integrity.

Choice D rationale:

Documenting any changes in skin integrity is important, but it is the responsibility of the healthcare team, including the PN. However, this response does not provide proactive measures to prevent the pressure ulcer from occurring in the first place, which is the primary concern in this situation.