In caring for a patient with meningococcal meningitis, you will use

Appeared in: GMCH - 2015

Explanation

Meningococcal meningitis is caused by Neisseria meningitidis, a bacterium transmitted via large respiratory droplets from the pharynx.
Transmission occurs through close contact (e.g., coughing, sneezing, talking) with an infected person's respiratory secretions.
Droplet Precautions are specifically designed to prevent the spread of pathogens transmitted by these large droplets.
These precautions are always used in addition to Standard Precautions, which apply to all patients regardless of their diagnosis.

Option B: Airborne precautions are for pathogens transmitted by small droplet nuclei (less than 5 microns) that can remain suspended in the air for long periods. Meningococcal bacteria are too large and heavy for this type of transmission.
Option C: Standard Precautions alone are insufficient because they do not include the respiratory protection (i.e., a surgical mask) needed to prevent inhalation of infectious droplets from a patient with meningococcal meningitis.
Option D: Contact precautions are for pathogens spread by direct skin-to-skin contact or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces. The primary route for meningococcal meningitis is respiratory, not contact.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Infection control and transmission-based precautions for meningococcal meningitis to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Promptly initiating Droplet Precautions for suspected or confirmed meningococcal meningitis is a critical nursing responsibility to prevent hospital-acquired infections and protect other patients and healthcare staff.
Nurses must educate the patient and family about the reasons for isolation to reduce anxiety and ensure cooperation.
Droplet precautions can usually be discontinued 24 hours after the start of effective antibiotic therapy, as the patient is no longer considered infectious.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the specific infectious disease in the question: 'meningococcal meningitis'.
Next, recall the mode of transmission for this disease. Neisseria meningitidis is spread via large respiratory droplets.
Match the mode of transmission to the correct type of transmission-based precaution. Droplet transmission requires Droplet Precautions.
Remember that transmission-based precautions (like Droplet) are always implemented in addition to Standard Precautions, which are used for all patients.
Evaluate the options to find the one that combines both Standard and Droplet precautions.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Infection control and transmission-based precautions for meningococcal meningitis.
Stem keywords: meningococcal meningitis, caring for a patient, precautions
Lead-in keywords: you will use
Negative lead-in flag: false

Q1L13rrq7kiDFb5rMEsoTa

E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 1 Part 1 pp. 43-45, 44-46

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 2 p. 235-237

Practise the full GMCH - 2015

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