What should you do if you suspect a resident has a communicable disease?

• A. Immediately follow isolation and PPE protocols and notify the nurse.
• B. Wait for symptoms to worsen before action.
• C. Remove PPE and continue as normal.
• D. Move resident to another room without alerting anyone.

Answer: (A)

Infection-control action must happen immediately when a communicable disease is suspected. Protecting others starts with following isolation precautions and using the appropriate PPE right away, then letting the supervising nurse know so the resident can be assessed and placed under the correct precautions. This prevents onward transmission through contact, droplets, or airborne routes and ensures the care team can take the right steps, including potential testing and isolation placement. Waiting for symptoms to worsen delays protection, and removing PPE or moving the resident without alerts bypasses safety policies and can spread infection. Always adhere to facility protocols and inform the nurse promptly.