While caring for a client after a small bowel resection, the nurse is informed that the client has a history of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). To reduce the risk of recurrence of the MRSA in the postoperative wound, which intervention is most important for the nurse to implement?
Report any increase in the white blood cell count.
Instruct the family to adhere to contact precautions.
Change the surgical dressing readily when soiled.
Wear a face mask while performing wound care.
The Correct Answer is C
The clinical scenario involves postoperative management of a surgical site in a patient colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Successful intervention requires applying principles of wound hygiene, bacterial proliferation kinetics, and aseptic technique to mitigate localized moisture which fosters rapid staphylococcal replication and subsequent infection.
Choice A rationale: Elevated white blood cell counts, typically exceeding 11,000 mm3, indicate a systemic inflammatory response or active infection. While monitoring hematologic data is essential for detection, it is a reactive measure rather than a proactive intervention to prevent localized MRSA recurrence.
Choice B rationale: Contact precautions prevent the horizontal transmission of resistant pathogens between the patient and others. While vital for institutional infection control and public health safety, these measures do not directly address the localized physiological environment of the patient's own surgical incision.
Choice C rationale: Saturated dressings create a warm, moist environment that facilitates capillary action, pulling contaminants into the wound. Maintaining a dry, sterile environment inhibits the colonization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, as moisture promotes the rapid exponential growth of these resistant gram-positive cocci.
Choice D rationale: Face masks primarily provide protection against respiratory droplet transmission. While beneficial for preventing the introduction of oropharyngeal flora into a sterile field, they are less critical than moisture control for preventing MRSA recurrence, which is primarily spread through direct or indirect contact.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale: Initiating the urine collection without reporting the low serum creatinine is inappropriate. A value of 0.3 mg/dL is below the reference range and may indicate significant muscle wasting or severe malnutrition.
Choice B rationale: Evaluating the BUN level provides information about hydration and renal perfusion, but it does not address the immediate clinical significance of an abnormally low creatinine level in an older adult client.
Choice C rationale: The nurse must notify the provider because a creatinine level of 0.3 mg/dL is abnormally low. In older adults, this often reflects low muscle mass, which significantly impacts how drug dosages are calculated.
Choice D rationale: Assessing for hypokalemia is not directly indicated by a low creatinine level. While electrolyte monitoring is important in drug toxicity, it is not the priority action linked to this specific lab finding.
Correct Answer is ["A","B","C"]
Explanation
Her fasting 1-hour glucose screening level, which was done 1 week prior, is 164 mg/dl. (9.1 mmol/L) Her 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test results reveal a fasting blood sugar of 168 (9.3 mmol/L) and a two-hour postprandial of 220 mg/dL (12.2 mmol/L).
The client has gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), which is a condition that affects some pregnant women and causes high blood sugar levels. This is bad during pregnancy because it can increase the risk of complications for both the mother and the baby, such as preeclampsia, macrosomia, birth trauma, neonatal hypoglycemia, and congenital anomalies. The client needs to follow a diet and exercise plan to control her blood sugar levels and prevent further complications. She may also need to take insulin injections or oral medications if diet and exercise are not enough. The client should monitor her blood sugar levels regularly and report any abnormal results to her health care provider. The client should also have regular prenatal visits and ultrasounds to check the growth and development of the baby.
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