The community health nurse learns that an adult community member has been diagnosed with diphtheria. What should the nurse do to prevent the spread of this infection?
Select all that apply.
1. provide the Tdap vaccine as prescribed
2. instruct the patient to ingest milk and dairy products
3. obtain throat cultures from the patient's close contacts
4. ensure the patient's diagnosis has been reported to the local health department
5. counsel the patient's family members to take antibiotics for 3 days as prescribed
Correct Answer: 1, 3, 4, 5
Preventing further cases of diphtheria is a nursing responsibility. Throat cultures are obtained from all close contacts. Asymptomatic disease carriers are confined to home until at least 3 days of antibiotic therapy have been completed. All contacts should receive the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine, which is given only once. Diphtheria is a reportable disease. The local health department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should be informed about all suspected and confirmed cases. Milk and dairy products thicken respiratory secretions, which would not be ideal for the patient with diphtheria because the respiratory tract is affected with a thick pseudomembranous material.
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