Public Health Nursing Practice Exam

What is a primary responsibility of community health nurses regarding clients with communicable diseases?

1. Providing HIV test results counseling.

2. Teaching infection control and standard precautions.

3. Facilitating needle exchange programs.

4. Managing partner notifications.

The correct answer is: Teaching infection control and standard precautions.

Community health nurses play a crucial role in managing communicable diseases, and teaching infection control and standard precautions is a primary responsibility. This involves educating clients and the community about ways to prevent the transmission of infections, such as proper hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and understanding how communicable diseases spread. By equipping individuals with knowledge about infection prevention, community health nurses can significantly reduce the incidence of disease transmission, promote public health safety, and empower clients to take proactive measures in protecting themselves and their communities. The other options listed, while relevant to the broader context of communicable disease management, represent specific activities that may be part of the community health nurse's role but do not encompass the primary responsibility of educating individuals about infection control methods. Providing counseling for HIV test results, facilitating needle exchange programs, and managing partner notifications are all important components of a comprehensive public health approach, but the core of community health nursing's focus lies in prevention through education and behavioral change regarding infection control practices.