A nurse in an obstetrics clinic is caring for a client.

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Exhibit 1

Nurses' Notes

Initial visit, 1340:

29-year-old gravida 2, para 0 client presents with report of a positive home pregnancy test from 2 weeks ago. Last menstrual period was 7 weeks ago. Urine human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) positive. Client reports vomiting several times a day over the last 2 weeks and states, "I'm a vegetarian and I don't usually eat a lot of protein, but it's still hard to keep anything down." Decreased skin turgor noted, oral mucous membranes moist. Weight 79.4 kg (175 lb).

Exhibit 2

Vital Signs

Initial visit, 1330:

• Heart rate 110/min
• Respiratory rate 18/min
• Blood pressure 104/66 mm Hg
• Temperature 36.6° C (97.9° F)
• Oxygen saturation 99% on room air
• Continuation of above exhibit

Exhibit 3

The nurse is reviewing the client's assessment findings and laboratory results.

Laboratory Results

Initial visit, 1600:

• WBC count 7,500/mm3 (5,000 to 10,000/mm3)
• Hgb 10.2 g/dL (11 to 16 g/dL)
• Hct 45% (33% to 47%)
• Platelets 360,000/mm3 (150,000 to 400,000/mm3)
• Sodium 136 mEq/L (136 to 145 mEq/L)
• Potassium 3.3 mEq/L (3.5 to 5 mEq/L)
• BUN 28 mg/dL (10 to 20 mg/dL)

Urinalysis:

• Appearance clear (clear)
• Color dark amber (pale yellow amber)
• pH 7.9 (4.6 to 8)
• Protein 4 mg/dL (0 to 8 mg/dL)
• Specific gravity 1.045 (1.005 to 1.03)
• Leukocyte esterase negative (negative)
• Nitrites none (none)

Explanation:

A. Airborne precautions:

Airborne precautions are used for pathogens that are transmitted through the air over long distances. This includes pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) or varicella-zoster virus (chickenpox). However, Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection is not transmitted through the airborne route. Therefore, airborne precautions are not appropriate for managing C. difficile infection.

B. Droplet precautions:

Droplet precautions are used for pathogens that are transmitted through respiratory droplets, typically over short distances (usually within about 3 feet). This includes pathogens such as influenza virus or Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough). However, C. difficile infection is primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route and contact with contaminated surfaces or objects, rather than through respiratory droplets. Therefore, droplet precautions are not appropriate for managing C. difficile infection.

C. Protective environment:

Protective environment, also known as reverse isolation, is used to protect immunocompromised clients from pathogens in the environment. This includes clients who have undergone bone marrow transplantation or chemotherapy. However, protective environment precautions are not appropriate for managing C. difficile infection. C. difficile infection control measures primarily focus on preventing the spread of the infection to others, rather than protecting the client from external pathogens.

D. Contact precautions:

Contact precautions are used for pathogens that are transmitted through direct or indirect contact with the client or their environment. This includes pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or C. difficile. C. difficile infection is primarily transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects. Therefore, contact precautions, which involve measures to prevent the transmission of infectious agents via contact, including wearing gloves and a gown, performing hand hygiene, and ensuring environmental cleaning and disinfection, are appropriate for managing C. difficile infection.

A. Apply cortisone ointment on the lesions prior to birth:

Cortisone ointment is not appropriate for the treatment of herpes simplex virus (HSV) lesions. Cortisone is a steroid medication that can suppress the immune response, potentially worsening the HSV infection. Additionally, cortisone ointment does not directly treat the virus or prevent its transmission. Therefore, applying cortisone ointment on the lesions would not be effective and could even be harmful to both the mother and the newborn.

B. Administer erythromycin ointment in the newborn's eyes after birth:

Erythromycin ointment is routinely used in newborns to prevent bacterial eye infections, such as those caused by Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae. However, it is not effective against viruses like HSV. Therefore, while erythromycin ointment is important for preventing bacterial infections in newborns, it does not address the risk of HSV transmission from the mother to the newborn during birth.

C. Anticipate a scheduled cesarean birth:

When a pregnant person has active genital herpes lesions near the time of delivery, a scheduled cesarean section (C-section) is often recommended to reduce the risk of neonatal herpes transmission. Delivering the baby via C-section can decrease the likelihood of the newborn coming into contact with the virus in the birth canal, thereby reducing the risk of neonatal herpes infection. This intervention is specifically targeted at preventing HSV transmission to the newborn and is considered the standard of care in such situations.

D. Initiate IV penicillin G during labor:

Penicillin G is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections, but it is not effective against viruses like HSV. Therefore, initiating IV penicillin G during labor would not prevent the transmission of HSV to the newborn. While antibiotics may be used in certain situations during labor to prevent bacterial infections, they do not address the risk of HSV transmission and are not indicated for this purpose.