Question

A nurse is assisting with the admission of a client who has varicella zoster. Which of the following interventions should the nurse plan to implement? Administer aspirin if the client develops a fever Have visitors remain at least 0.91 meter (3 ft) away from the client Assigned a client to negative pressure airflow room Initiate contact precaution for the client.

Answer 1

When admitting a client with varicella zoster, a nurse should utilize a negative pressure airflow room and enforce contact precautions. Aspirin should be avoided to prevent Reye syndrome, with other antipyretics being preferred for fever.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse assisting with the admission of a client who has varicella zoster should implement specific interventions to prevent the spread of infection. One key measure is to place the client in a negative pressure airflow room to avoid the transmission of the virus through the air. Additionally, initiating contact precautions will help to reduce the risk of direct and indirect spread of the virus through physical contact and shared surfaces.

It is important to note that aspirin should not be administered to individuals with chickenpox or varicella zoster virus infections, particularly in children and teens, due to the risk of Reye syndrome, a rare but serious condition. Instead, other antipyretics like acetaminophen can be used to manage fever. As for visitors, given the highly contagious nature of the virus, maintaining a safe distance is crucial, but even more effective is to limit the exposure altogether, especially for those who are immunocompromised or have never been infected with the virus as they are susceptible to developing chickenpox.

Answer 2

When a client is admitted with varicella zoster, the nurse should plan for the patient to be in a negative pressure airflow room, initiate contact precautions, and avoid using aspirin for fever management due to the risk of Reye's syndrome. Stricter hand hygiene and disinfection protocols are also essential.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a nurse is assisting with the admission of a client who has varicella zoster, the following interventions should be planned:

• Negative pressure airflow room: The nurse should assign the client to a negative pressure airflow room, which helps control the spread of infectious agents that are transmitted via the airborne route.
• Contact precautions: Initiate contact precautions for the client to prevent the spread of infections that can be transmitted by direct or indirect contact with the patient or the patient's environment.
• Visitors should be cautioned to maintain a safe distance from the client, but there is no specific recommendation of staying at least 0.91 meters away in this context.
• Aspirin should not be administered if the client develops a fever, especially in children or teenagers, due to the risk of Reye's syndrome, a potentially serious condition. Alternatives such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) should be considered for fever management.

Additionally, all hospital staff and visitors should be reminded to follow strict hand hygiene and item disinfection protocols when dealing with a patient with varicella zoster to prevent surface and equipment contamination.