A dietary assistant asks what precautions are necessary for entering the room of a patient with MRSA. Which instruction is correct?

A dietary assistant asks what precautions are necessary for entering the room of a patient with MRSA. Which instruction is correct?

• A. Don a gown before entering the room and remove it before exiting
• B. Wear a mask while in the client's room
• C. Don gloves when entering the room and use hand sanitizer when exiting
• D. Take no special precautions unless engaging in direct contact with the client

Answer: (C)

MRSA spreads mainly by direct contact, so the protective steps focus on preventing hand and surface contamination. Wearing gloves before entering creates a barrier against transferring bacteria to your hands or to surfaces you touch. Cleaning your hands with hand sanitizer when exiting removes any organisms you may have picked up, reducing the risk of spreading MRSA to others or to your next patient. While a gown is often used for contact precautions when there's a risk of contaminating clothing or touching the patient, the essential idea here is to protect your hands and ensure they’re clean after leaving the room. Masks aren’t routinely required for MRSA unless there are respiratory secretions involved. This approach directly targets the main way MRSA is transmitted and supports safe, practical practice.

MRSA spreads mainly by direct contact, so the protective steps focus on preventing hand and surface contamination. Wearing gloves before entering creates a barrier against transferring bacteria to your hands or to surfaces you touch. Cleaning your hands with hand sanitizer when exiting removes any organisms you may have picked up, reducing the risk of spreading MRSA to others or to your next patient. While a gown is often used for contact precautions when there's a risk of contaminating clothing or touching the patient, the essential idea here is to protect your hands and ensure they’re clean after leaving the room. Masks aren’t routinely required for MRSA unless there are respiratory secretions involved. This approach directly targets the main way MRSA is transmitted and supports safe, practical practice.