NCLEX: A 66-year-old client in an outpatient clinic is being evaluated for head and neck assessment during hospitalizati…

Health assessment Reduction of Risk Potential

Case Study

A 66-year-old client in an outpatient clinic is being evaluated for head and neck assessment during hospitalization. Assessment data include the client reports no sleep and increasing agitation overnight. Which infection-prevention action is essential?

Question

A. Wear gloves only and skip hand hygiene when leaving the room.
B. Perform hand hygiene and apply the transmission-based precautions indicated by the client's diagnosis.
C. Use sterile technique for all routine hygiene regardless of diagnosis.
D. Skip precautions if the client has no fever.

Rationale

Correct answer: B. Perform hand hygiene and apply the transmission-based precautions indicated by the client's diagnosis.

Rationale: Infection control matches the pathogen route: hand hygiene plus appropriate precautions for contact, droplet, or airborne transmission.

Hint: Apply ABCs, client stability, and NCSBN clinical judgment steps before choosing an intervention.

Level: Advanced

Difficulty: Hard

Subtopic: Head and neck assessment