Question 12

The nurse aide should wear gloves when removing soiled linen from a bed.

Wearing gloves is essential when removing soiled linen to protect both the nurse aide and the resident from potential contamination and infection. This practice is crucial in maintaining hygiene and ensuring safety in healthcare settings.

A) combing a resident's hair.

While personal care activities like combing hair may require a gentle touch, they do not typically involve exposure to bodily fluids or contaminants. Therefore, gloves are not necessary in this scenario, making this option incorrect.

B) removing soiled linen from a bed.

This option is correct as removing soiled linen poses a risk of exposure to pathogens and contaminants. Gloves serve as a protective barrier, reducing the risk of infection transmission between the resident and the healthcare provider.

C) dressing the resident in underpants.

Dressing a resident in underpants does not usually involve contact with bodily fluids or hazardous materials, thus not requiring gloves. The nature of this task is primarily supportive and does not present the same level of risk as handling soiled items.

D) charting the resident's urine output.

Charting urine output is a documentation task that does not involve direct physical contact with the resident or exposure to contaminants, so gloves are not required. This task is administrative and does not present a risk of infection.

Conclusion

The correct answer is B, as it highlights a situation where gloves are necessary to maintain infection control when dealing with soiled materials. Options A, C, and D do not pose the same level of risk, which is why they do not require the same precautions. Understanding when to wear gloves is a fundamental aspect of safe and effective patient care.