A client has sudden vomiting and diarrhea during a norovirus outbreak. Which infection control action is most appropriate?
1Use only standard precautions because norovirus is not contagious.
2Use contact precautions and perform careful hand hygiene.✓ Correct answer
3Place the client in protective isolation with positive pressure airflow.
4Stop environmental cleaning until the client is discharged.
Explanation
Norovirus spreads easily through contact with contaminated surfaces, stool, or vomitus. Contact precautions, environmental cleaning, and hand hygiene are essential. Protective positive-pressure isolation is not indicated, and cleaning should not be delayed.
In-depth explanation
Clinical Judgment Use the client cues, timing, labs, and safety risks to select the response that best fits Norovirus contact precautions.
Memory Tip Match the strongest cue cluster to the safest nursing judgment.
KR vs US NCLEX items reward cue-based priority thinking rather than isolated recall.
Clinical scenario
Clinical Practice Guide For Norovirus contact precautions, compare the complete cue pattern with the client's current stability, ordered data, and expected nursing scope.
Caution Do not choose an action from one isolated cue when the full scenario changes priority or safety.
Key concepts
Norovirus — A highly contagious cause of acute gastroenteritis.
Contact Precautions — Transmission-based precautions used for organisms spread by direct or indirect contact.
Hand Hygiene — Cleaning hands to reduce transmission of infectious agents.