NCLEX: A 52-year-old client on a medical-surgical unit is being evaluated for nursing care related to specimen collectio…

Microbiology Safety and Infection Prevention and Control

Case Study

A 52-year-old client on a medical-surgical unit is being evaluated for nursing care related to specimen collection and culture sensitivity. Assessment data include productive cough for 2 weeks with night sweats and hemoptysis. The nurse is evaluating discharge teaching. Which client statement shows correct understanding?

Question

A. "I will stop my medications when I feel better."
B. "I do not need to report mild symptoms unless they become unbearable."
C. "I will call the nurse if I have new or worse symptoms before my follow-up appointment."
D. "The nurse does not need to know about changes unless the provider asks."

Rationale

Correct answer: C. "I will call the nurse if I have new or worse symptoms before my follow-up appointment."

Rationale: Effective teaching includes when to seek help for worsening symptoms. Stopping medications or delaying reports are unsafe.

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

Level: Clinical

Difficulty: Medium

Subtopic: Specimen collection and culture sensitivity