Which precautions should be implemented for a client with hepatitis A?

For a client with hepatitis A, the appropriate precautions to implement are contact precautions. Hepatitis A is primarily spread through the fecal-oral route, often due to ingestion of contaminated food or water or through close personal contact with an infected person.

Contact precautions are essential because they help prevent the transmission of infections that are spread by direct contact with the patient or their environment. This includes ensuring that healthcare workers wear gloves when handling items that may be contaminated with fecal matter and using appropriate disposal methods for waste.

Understanding the other types of precautions helps clarify why contact precautions are specifically required for hepatitis A. Standard precautions are a baseline that include hand hygiene and the use of gloves when necessary but do not specifically address the risks associated with contact transmission of hepatitis A. Airborne precautions are used for infections that are transmitted through tiny droplets in the air, such as tuberculosis. Droplet precautions are designed for diseases that spread through larger respiratory droplets, like influenza. Therefore, the specific nature of hepatitis A transmission necessitates the focused approach of contact precautions to ensure patient and healthcare provider safety.