A nurse is caring for a patient diagnosed with Seasonal Influenza. The patient had to be sent to the Radiology department for a CT Scan. According to the nurse, which statement is true?

Appeared in: GMCH - 2015

Explanation

Seasonal Influenza is transmitted via large respiratory droplets, which requires the implementation of Droplet Precautions.
According to Droplet Precautions, when a patient must be transported out of their room, they should wear a surgical mask.
The surgical mask acts as 'source control,' trapping the patient's respiratory secretions and preventing the spread of infectious droplets to others and the environment.

Option A: This is incorrect and unsafe. Transporting a patient with influenza without a mask would directly expose staff, other patients, and the hospital environment to infectious respiratory droplets.
Option B: An N-95 respirator is not required for the patient. N-95s are used for Airborne Precautions (e.g., Tuberculosis) to protect the wearer from inhaling small aerosolized particles. A surgical mask is sufficient for source control in Droplet Precautions.
Option C: This is an unnecessary restriction. While transport should be limited to essential procedures, it is not absolutely prohibited. Medically necessary tests like a CT scan can be performed as long as proper precautions are taken.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Infection Control: Droplet Precautions and Patient Transport to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
A nurse's primary role in infection control is to break the chain of infection. Correctly implementing transmission-based precautions, including for patient transport, is crucial to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
This scenario highlights the principle of 'source control,' where the focus is on containing the infection at its source (the patient) to protect everyone else.
What if? If the patient was diagnosed with active Tuberculosis (TB) instead of influenza, the precautions would change. TB requires Airborne Precautions. The patient would still wear a surgical mask during transport (for source control), but all healthcare personnel entering the room or transporting the patient would need to wear a fitted N-95 respirator.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the patient's diagnosis provided in the stem: Seasonal Influenza.
Next, recall the mode of transmission for this illness. Influenza is spread via large respiratory droplets.
Based on the mode of transmission, determine the appropriate level of precaution. Droplet transmission requires Droplet Precautions.
Finally, apply the specific rules for patient transport under Droplet Precautions. The key principle is 'source control,' which dictates that the patient must wear a surgical mask to contain their respiratory secretions during transport.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 2 pp. 237-239, 233-235

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 1621-1623

Practise the full GMCH - 2015

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.