cohorting like diseases question

[kgh31386, BSN, MSN, RN]

Hey I know that you can only room like diseases together. But on the Nclex...I'm 99.9% sure that they won't say "pt so and so with TB is in the ED, who do you room them with?" I bet they won't list TB as an option. So when you room like diseases, are they gonna give something like "ok pt with acid fast bacilli comes in..who do you room them with. THEN they list TB. And we all know TB is caused by the acid fast. SO would it be wise to know that causative organism??? I know there's more to it like you don't room anyone with an active infectious person, or immunocompromised. I never really found an answer to this part...if you did have 4 different diseases given, can you room contact ppl together? or droplet ppl together?

What's a good way to study those rooming type questions? I've only run into a few. And it would be like "a kid with ADHD comes in, who do you room them with". and it would list 4 sick kids, and 3 of the kids needed a quiet environment because noise would flare up their disease, but the 4th would be ok.

[mystic33]

Hope someone with good info can respond soon cause i would like to know too.

[wannabHishands]

I believe they are simply "clean" and "dirty" pts... like "a surgical pt comes up, who do you room him with?" and the choices are one with c dif, one with asthma, and one with cellulitis.

Think of surgical pts. as clean ones. In this case, the asthma pt is as well.

These are the only type of cohorting q's I've seen.

And no, you can't put similar precautions together (droplet Diptheria-thanks SPIDERMAN!- with droplet mumps), because then they could each get the other one as well- think about the pts., they don't wear the mask, WE do).

And I really don't think the causative agent is important to know. We're not doctors, or microbiologists. I have enough trivial facts in this brain already, I am closing the door on any additional do-not-need-to-know facts, at least until the test is over.