The nurse is admitting the fourth patient in 2 days who is experiencing malaise, high fever, and headache. All patients attended a local air show the previous weekend. Which nursing action is necessary?

Question

1. Discuss the need to contact public health authorities regarding the similarity of the cases.
2. Plan to place the patients in the same room.
3. Ask the patients for permission to talk with family members regarding other symptoms.
4. Assess the patients for what foods they ate while at the air show.

Answer 1

1
Rationale 1: The nurse should be alert to illness patterns that could indicate an unusual infectious disease outbreak. Indicators of a biologic agent release include increased disease incidence among people who attended the same event. The nurse should discuss the need to contact public health authorities regarding the similarity of the cases.
Rationale 2: Placing the patients in the same room may or may not be appropriate.
Rationale 3: The family members of the patients do not need to be assessed at this time.
Rationale 4: The foods ingested during the air show may not provide enough information about the patients' exposure.