A nurse is assisting with the plan of care for an older adult client who has a new prescription for transdermal clonidine. Which of the following information should the nurse include in the plan of care?

Choice A Reason:

Leave the television on in the client's room is incorrect. Leaving the television on doesn't directly address the safety concern of falls. While it might provide some distraction or comfort, it doesn't mitigate the risk of the client attempting to leave the bed unsafely.

Choice B Reason:

Raise all four side rails while the client is in bed is incorrect. Using all four side rails can be considered a form of restraint and is generally not recommended due to the risk of entrapment and potential psychological distress for the client. It can also increase the risk of agitation and attempts to climb over the rails, potentially resulting in falls.

Choice C Reason:

Move the overbed table away from the bed is incorrect. Moving the overbed table might reduce clutter around the bed area, but it doesn't directly address the risk of falls for a client with dementia. It's more about optimizing the environment than specifically addressing the safety concern related to the client's condition.

Choice D Reason:

Apply a motion sensor mat to the client's bed is correct. For an older adult with dementia at risk for falls, a motion sensor mat can be an effective safety measure. It alerts the staff when the client attempts to get out of bed, allowing for timely intervention to prevent falls. This helps the nursing staff respond promptly, ensuring the client's safety.

Choice A Reason:

Place on airborne precautions. This is incorrect. Tinea corporis isn't transmitted through the air. Airborne precautions are specific infection control measures for diseases transmitted through airborne particles, like tuberculosis or measles, which are caused by specific bacteria or viruses.

Choice B Reason:

Avoid direct contact is correct. Direct contact is a crucial precaution to prevent the spread of tinea corporis. It's a contagious infection, often transmitted through skin-to-skin contact or by sharing contaminated items such as clothing, towels, or bedding. Encouraging precautions like not sharing personal items and avoiding direct skin contact helps prevent the spread of the infection to others.

Choice C Reason:

Isolate for 24 hr. after lesions appear is incorrect. While it's essential to take precautions to prevent spread, isolating for only 24 hours after lesions appear might not be sufficient. The infection can remain contagious until it's effectively treated and lesions have resolved. More extended isolation or precautions might be necessary until the infection is no longer transmissible.

Choice D Reason:

Administer a broad-spectrum antibiotic is incorrect. Tinea corporis is a fungal infection, not a bacterial one, so antibiotics would not be effective against it. Antifungal medications, such as topical or oral antifungals, are the primary treatment for tinea corporis. Using an antibiotic would not treat the fungal infection and might lead to inappropriate medication use.