In a scenario where a patient’s infection status changes, what must staff do regarding precautions?

• A. Do nothing
• B. Update isolation status promptly, apply or discontinue PPE and room precautions as appropriate, and educate staff
• C. Only document in the chart
• D. Notify security only

Answer: (B)

When infection status changes, precautions must be updated promptly. This means revising the patient’s isolation status right away, adjusting the PPE and room precautions to match the new level of risk, and educating the care team about the changes. Doing so protects staff and other patients from potential exposure and helps ensure the correct procedures are followed for the current infection risk.

The other options fall short because they don’t actively manage protection and communication: doing nothing leaves staff and other patients at risk; simply documenting the change doesn’t change how care is delivered or how people protect themselves; and notifying security is not relevant to infection-control precautions.