A nurse is caring for a client who has just died. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

A. Using hot water to wash hands is incorrect. Hot water can cause skin irritation and is not necessary for effective hand hygiene. The water temperature should be comfortable for the person washing their hands, whether it is warm or cool.

B. Applying friction to hands for 10 seconds is incorrect. Hand hygiene should be done for at least 20 seconds, not just 10 seconds, to effectively remove contaminants.

C. Drying hands starting from forearm to fingers is incorrect. Hands should be dried starting from the fingers to the forearms to avoid contamination from dripping water on the hands after washing. The goal is to maintain clean hands throughout the drying process.

D. Interlacing the fingers while rubbing hands together is correct. Interlacing the fingers and rubbing them together ensures that all surfaces of the hands, including between the fingers, are properly cleaned. This method is recommended in the CDC hand hygiene guidelines for thorough washing.

A. Wearing a mask by family members is not typically necessary at home once the client is on effective treatment for tuberculosis and the infectious period has passed. The client should avoid public places and limit contact with vulnerable individuals, but family members do not need to wear masks at home after the initial treatment phase.

B. Long-term medication is required for tuberculosis, but not for the rest of the client’s life. Treatment usually lasts for 6-9 months, not a lifetime. Adherence to the medication regimen is crucial to prevent relapse or resistance.

C. Throwing away used tissues in a closed plastic bag is correct. This is a key infection control measure to prevent the spread of tuberculosis through respiratory droplets. Used tissues should be discarded in a closed, lined container, and the client should practice good hygiene.

D. No longer infectious after 30 days of treatment is incorrect. A client with tuberculosis may remain infectious until they have completed several weeks of treatment and show improvement. Typically, a negative sputum culture is used to confirm the client is no longer infectious.