For which disease should a nurse implement droplet precautions?

Droplet precautions are implemented for diseases transmitted through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis and is primarily spread through these droplets. Individuals with pertussis can produce significant respiratory droplets, especially during coughing fits, which can travel short distances and infect others nearby.

In contrast, chickenpox requires airborne precautions due to the varicella-zoster virus’s ability to remain suspended in the air even after the infectious person has left the area. Influenza, while it can be transmitted via droplets, can also spread through contact with contaminated surfaces and is often managed with broader respiratory precautions rather than strict droplet precautions. Hepatitis is primarily transmitted through blood and bodily fluids, not through respiratory droplets, hence does not warrant droplet precautions. Therefore, the use of droplet precautions for pertussis is necessary to prevent its transmission in healthcare settings and among close contacts.