A nurse is using Maslow's hierarchy of needs in assisting with discharge planning for a client.

Which of the following activities should the nurse recommend as the priority for this client?

The correct answer is Choice B.

Choice A rationale: Placing the client in a room with another client who has pharyngitis is not recommended. Pharyngitis can be caused by various different pathogens, not just streptococci. Co-housing clients with different infections can lead to cross-infection, complicating both clients’ conditions. Therefore, this choice is not the best option.

Choice B rationale: Ensuring that the client wears a surgical mask during transportation throughout the facility is the correct choice. Streptococcal infections are spread through respiratory droplets. A surgical mask can help prevent the spread of these droplets, protecting other clients and healthcare workers in the facility. This is a standard precaution in infection control.

Choice C rationale: Limiting the client’s visitors to visitations of 30 minutes is not necessarily beneficial. The duration of the visit does not significantly impact the risk of transmission as much as the precautions taken during the visit, such as hand hygiene and wearing a mask. Therefore, while limiting visitation time might reduce exposure, it is not the most effective measure to prevent the spread of infection.

Choice D rationale: Providing the client a room with negative pressure airflow of six air exchanges per hour is not necessary for a client with a streptococcal infection. Negative pressure rooms are typically used for clients with airborne diseases, such as tuberculosis. A streptococcal infection is spread through droplets, not airborne transmission, so a negative pressure room would not provide any additional benefit.

A. A urine specific gravity of 1.015 is within the normal range (1.005–1.030). While fluid volume excess may lead to a lower specific gravity due to urine dilution, this value does not indicate fluid overload and is considered normal.
B. A hematocrit level of 42% is within the normal range for adults (men: 38–50%, women: 35–45%). Hematocrit levels tend to decrease in fluid volume excess due to hemodilution, but this value does not suggest fluid overload.
C. A urine pH of 6.5 is within the normal range (4.5–8.0). Urine pH reflects the acid-base balance rather than fluid status and is not a reliable indicator of fluid volume excess.
D. A BUN level of 5 mg/dL is below the normal range (10–20 mg/dL). In fluid volume excess, the dilution of blood plasma can lead to decreased BUN levels. This low BUN value, in conjunction with clinical symptoms, supports the diagnosis of fluid volume excess.