A nurse is admitting a toddler who has respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Choice A reason: Keeping a thermometer in the room is practical but not the priority. RSV spreads via droplets and contact, requiring specific precautions to prevent transmission. Contact and droplet precautions address infection control directly, making thermometer placement a minor logistical action. Choice B reason: Allowing play in the common room is inappropriate, as RSV is contagious via droplets and surfaces. Contact and droplet precautions, including isolation, prevent spread to other children, making common room play unsafe and incorrect for infection control. Choice C reason: Negative-pressure rooms are for airborne diseases (e.g., tuberculosis), not RSV, which spreads via droplets and contact. Contact and droplet precautions with a private room are sufficient, making negative-pressure isolation unnecessary and incorrect for RSV management. Choice D reason: Initiating contact and droplet precautions is correct, as RSV spreads through respiratory droplets and contaminated surfaces. A private room, masks, gloves, and hand hygiene prevent transmission, aligning with infection control protocols for toddlers with RSV, making this the most appropriate action.