A 65-year-old female is driven to the hospital emergency room with severe shortness of breath, cough, and fever. She is also complaining of muscle aches stating, “It feels like I was hit by a truck.” She has a long-standing history of severe lung disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) requiring home oxygen because of a 45-pack-per-year smoking history. It is January, and she declined influenza vaccination when she was seen by her primary care physician in November. She is admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of severe exacerbation of her chronic lung disease. The next day her attending physician decides to test her for influenza. The test is reported back to the floor as a critical value because the result is positive for influenza Type A. She is started on an antiviral medication for influenza. Discuss the following questions: What type of transmission-based precautions should be used to isolate this patient? What could have been done differently with this case starting with the emergency room?

A 65-year-old female is driven to the hospital emergency room with severe shortness of breath, cough, and fever. She is also complaining of muscle aches stating, “It feels like I was hit by a truck.” She has a long-standing history of severe lung disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) requiring home oxygen because of a 45-pack-per-year smoking history. It is January, and she declined influenza vaccination when she was seen by her primary care physician in November. She is admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of severe exacerbation of her chronic lung disease. The next day her attending physician decides to test her for influenza. The test is reported back to the floor as a critical value because the result is positive for influenza Type A. She is started on an antiviral medication for influenza. Discuss the following questions: What type of transmission-based precautions should be used to isolate this patient? What could have been done differently with this case starting with the emergency room?

Microbiology for Surgical Technologists (MindTap Course List)

2nd Edition

ISBN:9781111306663

Author:Margaret Rodriguez, Paul Price

Publisher:Margaret Rodriguez, Paul Price

Chapter22: Emerging, Recurring, And Reappearing Diseases

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 2UTM

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