A patient presents to the emergency department with sudden onset of high fever, severe headache, and muscle pain. They recently returned from a humanitarian mission in West Africa. Which of the following is the BEST initial action for the emergency nurse to take?
Immediately isolate the patient and implement contact precautions
Obtain a detailed travel history and symptom onset timeline
Notify the infection control team and wait for further instructions
The correct answer is to immediately isolate the patient and implement contact precautions. This action is crucial because hemorrhagic fevers, such as Ebola, are highly contagious and can spread rapidly through bodily fluids. Immediate isolation helps prevent transmission to healthcare workers and other patients. While obtaining a detailed travel history and notifying the infection control team are important steps, they should be done after the patient is isolated. Starting IV fluids, although potentially necessary, is not the priority action before proper isolation measures are in place. Emergency nurses must prioritize containment and personal protection when dealing with suspected cases of hemorrhagic fevers to prevent outbreaks within healthcare settings.
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BCEN CEN
Environment and Toxicology Emergencies, and Communicable Diseases
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