The patient who recently immigrated to the United States from Bangladesh presents to the emergency department with cough with bloody sputum and fever. A chest x-ray shows patchy infiltrates in the upper right lobe. Which action does the nurse take first?

Don an N95 respirator. The patient’s symptoms and chest x-ray are consistent with tuberculosis. Even though diagnosis has not been confirmed, the nurse should don an N95 respirator prior to any further contact with the patient. Once the nurse is protected and the patient is placed in an isolation room, the nurse should obtain sputum cultures, blood cultures, and HIV serology. A CT scan can also be helpful in determining the severity of the patient’s disease.

The patient who recently immigrated to the United States from Ban...

Category: Safety and Infection Control
Difficulty: 5

Topics: Radiology Respiratory

Want help? View the answer with rationale.

Additional Safety and Infection Control Questions

In which order does the nurse don personal protective equipment prior to caring for the pediatric patient suspected of having the chickenpox?

Question Type: Multiple Choice - Select One
Difficulty: 5

The nurse is setting up a sterile field for the provider to insert a chest tube. The nurse drops the scissors onto the field where they land with the tip 2 inches from the edge. Which action by the nurse is most appropriate?

Question Type: Multiple Choice - Select One
Difficulty: 9

The nurse has just assisted an elderly client safely back into bed after a fall, and it has been determined by the nurse and the provider that no injury is present. After submitting an incident report form, which nursing action is the priority?

Question Type: Multiple Choice - Select One
Difficulty: 7

Show Calculator

Want help? View the answer with rationale.

Rationale

Additional Safety and Infection Control Questions

Nursing Careers

Nursing Degrees

NCLEX