The nurse admits a patient from the emergency department who is suspected of having influenza. The nurse prepares equipment and anticipates placing the patient on which type of precaution?

Choice A rationale Airborne precautions are reserved for diseases with very small particles that remain suspended in the air and travel over long distances, such as tuberculosis, measles, or varicella (chickenpox). Influenza droplets are generally large and do not remain suspended in the air for long periods, falling rapidly, thus requiring droplet precautions instead of the more restrictive airborne type. Choice B rationale Contact precautions are used for infections spread by direct or indirect contact with the patient or the patient's environment, such as Clostridium difficile or antibiotic-resistant organisms like MRSA. While contact can spread influenza, the primary route is large respiratory droplets, making droplet precautions the most specific and necessary type of isolation. Choice C rationale Influenza is primarily spread by large respiratory droplets expelled when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. These droplets travel a short distance (typically less than 3 to 6 feet) before settling. Droplet precautions, including placing the patient in a private room and requiring staff to wear a surgical mask within the specified distance, are essential to prevent transmission. Choice D rationale Universal precautions, now generally referred to as Standard Precautions, involve basic infection control practices like hand hygiene and using personal protective equipment (PPE) for contact with blood, body fluids, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes of all patients. While always used, they are insufficient alone for preventing influenza spread, which requires the added barrier of droplet precautions.