Author Question: When caring for a patient who is hospitalized with active tuberculosis (TB), the nurse observes a ... (Read 109 times)

oliviahorn72 · **on:** Jun 25, 2018

When caring for a patient who is hospitalized with active tuberculosis (TB), the nurse observes a student nurse who is assigned to take care of a patient. Which action, if performed by the student nurse, would require an intervention by the nurse?

a. The patient is offered a tissue from the box at the bedside.
b. A surgical face mask is applied before visiting the patient.
c. A snack is brought to the patient from the unit refrigerator.
d. Hand washing is performed before entering the patient's room.

Question 2

Employee health test results reveal a tuberculosis (TB) skin test of 16-mm induration and a negative chest x-ray for a staff nurse working on the pulmonary unit. The nurse has no symptoms of TB.

Which information should the occupational health nurse plan to teach the staff nurse?
a. Standard four-drug therapy for TB
b. Need for annual repeat TB skin testing
c. Use and side effects of isoniazid (INH)
d. Bacille Calmette-Gurin (BCG) vaccine

kaylee05 · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
A high-efficiency particulate-absorbing (HEPA) mask, rather than a standard surgical mask, should be used when entering the patient's room because the HEPA mask can filter out 100 of small airborne particles. Hand washing before entering the patient's room is appropriate. Because anorexia and weight loss are frequent problems in patients with TB, bringing food to the patient is appropriate. The student nurse should perform hand washing after handling a tissue that the patient has used, but no precautions are necessary when giving the patient an unused tissue.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
The nurse is considered to have a latent TB infection and should be treated with INH daily for 6 to 9 months. The four-drug therapy would be appropriate if the nurse had active TB. TB skin testing is not done for individuals who have already had a positive skin test. BCG vaccine is not used in the United States for TB and would not be helpful for this individual, who already has a TB infection.