Question

A client with neutropenia has been admitted from the emergency department. What is the priority nursing intervention? ? A. Thorough hand-washing before client contact ? B. Start two or more large-bore IVs ? C. Give pain medication as ordered ? D. Request hypoallergenic sheets from the laundry

Short answer

Answer: The priority nursing intervention for a client with neutropenia is thorough hand-washing before client contact.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the condition of neutropenia

Neutropenia is when a person has an unusually low number of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that plays a role in fighting infections. This condition puts the individual at an increased risk of infections.

Evaluate intervention A

A. Thorough handwashing before client contact: Handwashing is crucial in preventing the spread of infection, especially for a client with neutropenia who is at a higher risk for infection. This can be considered an important intervention.

Evaluate intervention B

B. Start two or more large-bore IVs: Starting multiple IVs can be useful in certain situations, such as administering several medications at once or preparing for emergencies. However, this intervention may not be the most urgent or necessary for a client with neutropenia.

Evaluate intervention C

C. Give pain medication as ordered: While managing pain is important for the client's comfort, it is not necessarily a priority over preventing infections, especially considering the client's neutropenic condition.

Evaluate intervention D

D. Request hypoallergenic sheets from the laundry: Hypoallergenic sheets might help reduce the client's exposure to allergens, but they do not address the main concern of infection prevention.

Determine the priority nursing intervention

Based on the evaluation of each intervention, we can determine that the priority nursing intervention for a client with neutropenia is A. Thorough hand-washing before client contact. This intervention directly addresses the main concern for clients with neutropenia, which is infection prevention.