Which observation in infection control practices requires follow-up by a nurse?

The observation that necessitates follow-up by a nurse is when a rubella patient has their door kept closed. In infection control practices, maintaining an appropriate environment for patients with communicable diseases is crucial. For patients with rubella, which is a highly contagious viral infection, specific isolation precautions are necessary to prevent the risk of transmission to other patients and healthcare workers.

If the door to the room of a rubella patient is kept closed, this may imply that the necessary air infection control measures are not being implemented properly. Rubella is primarily spread through respiratory droplets, so keeping the door closed could potentially limit airflow and ventilation, increasing the risk of spreading the virus to others if precautions are not correctly followed. Therefore, the nurse should follow up to ensure the patient is isolated according to infection control guidelines and that all measures are properly adhered to, including possibly using a designated isolation room equipped with the appropriate ventilation.

In contrast, ambulatory practices for an influenza patient are generally acceptable when they wear a surgical mask to prevent the spread of droplets, similar to the use of contact precautions for a Legionnaire's disease patient, which are appropriate to limit the spread of pathogens through contaminated surfaces. For an H. pylori patient on standard precautions, adherence to basic infection