Sample interview questions: Share an example of a time when you had to implement isolation precautions for a patient with a highly contagious infection.
Sample answer:
- Situation: As an Infection Disease Nurse at a busy urban hospital, I was responsible for implementing isolation precautions for a patient with a highly contagious infection. The patient, a 35-year-old male, had been admitted to the hospital with a high fever, cough, and shortness of breath. He was subsequently diagnosed with Legionnaire’s disease, a severe form of pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacteria.
- Actions:
- Patient Placement: I immediately placed the patient in a private room with a private bathroom to minimize the risk of transmission to other patients and healthcare workers.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): I donned appropriate PPE, including a gown, gloves, mask, and eye protection, before entering the patient’s room. I also ensured that all healthcare workers caring for the patient wore the appropriate PPE.
- Hand Hygiene: I emphasized the importance of hand hygiene to all healthcare workers caring for the patient. I provided hand sanitizer stations at the entrance and exit of the patient’s room and encouraged frequent handwashing with soap and water.
- Respiratory Hygiene: I educated the patient and healthcare workers about respiratory hygiene, including coughing and sneezing into tissues and properly disposing of tissues. I also provided the patient with a surgical mask to wear when outside the room.
- Environmental Cleaning: I ensured that the patient’s room and bathroom were cleaned and disinfected regularly with an EPA-registered disinfectant. I also made sure that all equipment used in the patient’s room was properly disinfected before being used on other patients.
- Communication: I maintained open communication with the patient, their family, and other healthcare workers involved in the patient’s care. I provided regular updates on the patient’s condition and answered any questio… Read full answer
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