While providing care to a patient with Hepatitis, the nursing officer should take special precautions to.

Chitranjjan National Cancer Institute Kolkata - 2021

Applied Microbiology & Infection control

Medium

Appeared in: Chitranjjan National Cancer Institute Kolkata - 2021

Explanation

The core principle for infection control is Standard Precautions, which mandates treating all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious.
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route, making the patient's stool infectious. Gloves are essential to prevent hand contamination.
Hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) viruses are transmitted through blood and other body fluids. Stool can contain occult (hidden) blood, posing a transmission risk.
Using gloves when handling a bedpan is a direct and necessary application of Standard Precautions to prevent the spread of all common forms of hepatitis.

Option A: Hepatitis viruses are not spread through respiratory droplets. This precaution is irrelevant to the care of a hepatitis patient.
Option B: This misinterprets the fecal-oral route. The risk is from consuming food contaminated with the virus, not from a healthcare worker delivering a clean food tray. Standard food hygiene is always required, but it's not a special precaution for the nurse in this context.
Option C: This level of PPE (mask and gown) is not required for routine entry into the room of a patient with hepatitis. It constitutes Contact or Droplet Precautions, which are unnecessary here.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Infection control principles and Standard Precautions for Hepatitis to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Applying Standard Precautions for every patient, regardless of their diagnosis, is the cornerstone of modern infection prevention and is critical for protecting both healthcare workers and other patients.
Hand hygiene is a critical component of Standard Precautions. Hands must be washed thoroughly with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub before putting on gloves and immediately after removing them.
Hepatitis B vaccination is strongly recommended for all healthcare workers to provide protection against occupational exposure.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the core subject of the question: 'special precautions' for a patient with 'Hepatitis'.
Recognize that 'Hepatitis' is a general term. The correct precaution must be applicable to the common types (A, B, C).
Recall the primary transmission routes: Hepatitis A is fecal-oral; Hepatitis B and C are blood and body fluids.
Evaluate each option against these routes. The correct option must address at least one of these routes effectively.
Option A (droplet) is for respiratory diseases. Eliminate it.
Option B (bringing food) is not a direct transmission risk to the nurse. Eliminate it.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Infection control principles and Standard Precautions for Hepatitis.
Stem keywords: Hepatitis, nursing officer, special precautions
Lead-in keywords: should take
Negative lead-in flag: false

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