Air-Borne Standard Precautions Essay Paper

Introduction

Health care workers need to take precautions to ensure the safety of patients, visitors, and staff in medical settings. Standard precautions, also referred to as universal precautions, refer to measures that should be taken when providing care for all patients, regardless of their diagnosis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), air-borne precautions are indicated when a patient exhibits a symptom or has a lab result that suggests they may be infected with an air-borne contagious pathogen. In this case study, we will analyze the lab results of four different clients on a medical unit and discuss why airborne precautions may be necessary for these patients.

Background

In order to protect health care workers, CDC recommends standard precautions in medical facilities to prevent the spread of disease. Standard precautions include hand hygiene, use of protective equipment, preventing contact with the patient’s body fluids, and safe disposal of materials used in care. Air-borne precautions are additional steps that should be taken when providing care for patients who are suspected of being infected with an air-borne contagious pathogen.

Upper Respiratory Infection

The first patient is suspected of having an upper respiratory infection. The sputum culture confirms the presence of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a type of bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics. MRSA can cause serious respiratory infections such as pneumonia, which can spread in the air through the patient’s coughing or sneezing. Therefore, this patient should be placed on air-borne precautions in addition to standard precautions.

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Colonization

The second patient is suspected of having a wound colonization. The wound culture reveals the presence of Escherichia coli (E. coli), a type of bacteria that is commonly present in the gastrointestinal tract but can cause infections if it enters other parts of the body. E. coli can travel through the air when the patient coughs or sneezes, so airborne precautions should be taken in addition to standard precautions.

Hepatitis A

The third patient exhibits jaundice with positive antibodies for Hepatitis A, an infectious disease caused by the Hepatitis A virus. This virus is spread through contact with the feces of an infected person, but can also spread through the air when someone with the disease coughs or sneezes. Therefore, airborne precautions should be taken in addition to standard precautions for this patient.

Leg Ulcer

The fourth patient has a leg ulcer that was cultured and revealed the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacteria that is commonly found in water and soil and can cause serious infections if it enters the body. Pseudomonas aeruginosa can spread through the air when the patient coughs or sneezes, so airborne precautions should be taken in addition to standard precautions.

Conclusion

Air-borne precautions should be taken in addition to standard precautions when providing care for patients who are showing symptoms or have lab results that suggest they may be infected with an air-borne contagious pathogen. In this case study, it was discussed that four different clients on a medical unit should also be placed on air-borne precautions in addition to standard precautions. These were the patient with an upper respiratory infection confirmed by a sputum culture to be MRSA, a patient with a wound colonization confirmed by a wound culture to be E. coli, a patient exhibiting jaundice with positive antibodies for Hepatitis A, and a patient with a leg ulcer confirmed by a culture to be Pseudomonas aeruginosa. By taking these additional precautions, health care workers can better protect themselves, the patient, and others from the spread of infectious diseases in medical settings. Air-Borne Standard Precautions Essay Paper