A nurse is assisting with the admission of a client who has tuberculosis with a productive cough.
Which type of isolation precautions should the nurse initiate for the client?

The correct answer is: a. Displacement.

Choice A Reason: Displacement is a defense mechanism where a person redirects a negative emotion from its original source to a less threatening recipient. In the context of bipolar disorder, a client may displace anger or frustration about their condition or treatment onto the nurse, who is not the source of these feelings. This redirection can occur because the client might feel powerless or uncomfortable expressing these emotions towards their healthcare provider, who is the authority figure prescribing medication changes.

Choice B Reason: Splitting is often associated with borderline personality disorder rather than bipolar disorder. It involves viewing things in extremes—either all good or all bad—with no middle ground. While individuals with bipolar disorder can exhibit black-and-white thinking, especially during mood episodes, the behavior described does not indicate splitting, as it does not involve idealizing or devaluing the nurse or provider.

Choice C Reason: Sublimation is a mature defense mechanism where socially unacceptable impulses or idealizations are unconsciously transformed into socially acceptable actions or behavior, often resulting in a long-term conversion of the initial impulse. For example, a person with aggressive tendencies might take up a sport that channels aggression in a socially acceptable way. The scenario provided does not suggest that the client is channeling their frustrations into a constructive activity.

Choice D Reason: Conversion involves the transfer of mental stress into physical symptoms. This defense mechanism is characteristic of conversion disorder, where psychological stress manifests as neurological symptoms like blindness, paralysis, or other sensory or motor symptoms without a medical cause. The client yelling at the nurse does not reflect a conversion of emotional distress into physical symptoms.

Choice A rationale:

The nurse should inform the client that they will need periodic TB skin tests to monitor for any reactivation of the infection. This is important for assessing the client's response to treatment and ensuring early detection of any recurrence.

Choice B rationale:

Medications for tuberculosis can cause various side effects, but turning urine a blue-green color is not a common side effect associated with these medications. Providing accurate information about potential side effects is important for informed decision-making, but this statement is not accurate.

Choice C rationale:

The correct response is to inform the client that they are no longer contagious when they have negative sputum cultures. This is an important point to emphasize as it ensures that the client understands when it is safe to be around others without the risk of transmitting the infection.

Choice D rationale:

Telling the client that they will take medication for the rest of their life is incorrect and not appropriate for active pulmonary tuberculosis. Tuberculosis treatment typically involves a combination of medications taken for a specified duration, usually several months, until the infection is effectively treated.