Health Promotion and Maintenance
60. A school nurse is preparing to teach a group of teenagers how to prevent meningitis. What aspect of meningitis prevention should the nurse be certain to include in the presentation?
Health Promotion and Maintenance
60. A school nurse is preparing to teach a group of teenagers how to prevent meningitis. What aspect of meningitis prevention should the nurse be certain to include in the presentation?
. Getting a meningitis vaccine is the only way to guarantee prevention.
. Refraining from sharing food and drinks is a good way to prevent meningitis infection.
. Avoiding team sports is one way to stop the spread of meningitis infection.
. Meningitis prevention methods should be employed whenever children are in crowds.
Test-Taking Tip
The primary focus of infection prevention is to encourage behavior change. However, prevention methods should not expect individuals to make extreme and unrealistic behavioral changes. Teenagers especially are not going to avoid group activities (team sports, crowds) since peer groups are important. The easiest behavior to change is to avoid sharing drinks and food.
Content Area: Child Health, Infectious Disease; Integrated Process: Nursing Process, Planning; Cognitive Level: Application; Client Need/Subneed: Safe and Effective Care Environment/Safety and Infection Control/Standard/Transmission-based/Other Precautions
Health Promotion and Maintenance
.
Answer 1 is incorrect because the meningitis vaccine is only effective against some strains, and the vaccine is not a guarantee that the child will never become infected. Answer 2 is correct because meningitis is primarily spread through contact with droplets that arise from the nasopharynx of a person who is infected. Teenagers should be taught to not share food, drinks, or any other item that touches the nose or mouth of another person. Answer 3 is incorrect because children should not avoid group activities for fear of infection. Team sports should not be avoided, but participants must have their own water bottles. Answer 4 is incorrect because prevention methods should be employed whether children are in crowds or in small groups. It is never recommended that children share items touching the nose or mouth of other children.