Question

q25. a patient walks into the er waiting room and begins to cough. the patient does not cover his mouth while sneezing and coughing. what is the correct instruction to communicate to the patient?
to cover the nose or mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, or use the crook of the elbow to contain respiratory droplets.
to sneeze or cough into your hands.
to turn the head and cough to the side.
the way the patient is coughing and sneezing is not an issue.

Explanation:

When coughing or sneezing, covering the nose or mouth with a tissue or using the crook of the elbow to contain respiratory droplets is a standard hygiene practice to prevent the spread of germs. Sneezing or coughing into hands can lead to contamination of surfaces when hands are touched. Turning the head and coughing to the side may still allow droplets to spread in the air. And the way the patient is coughing and sneezing (not covering) is an issue as it can spread pathogens.

Answer:

To cover the nose or mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, or use the crook of the elbow to contain respiratory droplets.