A nurse is performing oral care for a client who is unconscious. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

1. Remove protective gown before removing gloves.

When caring for a client with Clostridium Difficile, it is important to follow strict contact precautions to prevent the spread of the bacteria. The nurse should remove the protective gown before removing gloves to avoid contaminating the gown with any bacteria that may be on the gloves. This helps to minimize the risk of spreading the bacteria to other clients or healthcare workers.

1. Shake bed linens before placing them in a linen bag.

Shaking bed linens can cause any bacteria that may be on them to become airborne, increasing the risk of spreading the bacteria to other surfaces. Instead, bed linens should be rolled up and placed directly into a linen bag without shaking them.

1. Use an electronic thermometer to take the client's temperature.

An electronic thermometer is preferred when taking the temperature of a client with Clostridium Difficile because it can be easily disinfected between uses, reducing the risk of spreading the bacteria.

1. Remove protective gloves when leaving the client's room.

Protective gloves should be removed before leaving the client's room to avoid contaminating other surfaces or spreading the bacteria to other clients or healthcare workers.

Answer: C. Place a surgical mask on the client when they leave their room.

Rationale:

A) Wear a surgical mask when within 0.6 m (2 ft) of the client.
While it is necessary to wear a surgical mask when in close proximity to a client on droplet precautions, the distance specified (0.6 m or 2 ft) is less than the standard recommended distance of 1 meter (3 feet). Therefore, this option is not fully aligned with best practices.

B) Move the client to a positive airflow room.
Positive airflow rooms are typically used for clients with immunosuppression or those who need protection from airborne pathogens, not for those on droplet precautions. This action is not appropriate for a client requiring droplet precautions.

C) Place a surgical mask on the client when they leave their room.
This action is appropriate and essential to minimize the risk of transmission of infectious agents to others when the client is moving outside their isolation area. The client wearing a mask is a key part of droplet precautions.

D) Remove fresh flowers from the client’s room.
While it may be necessary to remove fresh flowers in certain cases (such as for neutropenic clients), this is not specifically related to droplet precautions. Droplet precautions focus primarily on respiratory secretions and do not directly involve the presence of flowers.