A nurse is assisting with the admission of a child who has measles. Which of the following isolation precautions should the nurse initiate?

Choice A reason: Contact precautions are used for infections like MRSA, spread by direct touch. Measles is transmitted via airborne droplet nuclei, not skin contact. Contact precautions would not prevent the spread of measles, as they do not address the respiratory transmission route of the virus. Choice B reason: Droplet precautions are for infections like influenza, spread by larger respiratory droplets. Measles spreads via smaller airborne particles that remain suspended, requiring stricter airborne precautions. Droplet measures are insufficient to prevent transmission in shared air spaces over longer distances. Choice C reason: A protective environment is used for immunocompromised patients, like those undergoing transplants, to prevent infection. Measles requires precautions to protect others from the patient, not vice versa, making this inappropriate. It does not address the airborne transmission of the measles virus. Choice D reason: Measles, caused by the rubeola virus, spreads via airborne droplet nuclei, which can remain suspended for hours. Airborne precautions, including negative-pressure rooms and N95 masks, prevent transmission by containing infectious particles, protecting healthcare workers and other patients from this highly contagious virus.