Which of the following clients is at greatest risk for acquiring an in

Which of the following clients is at greatest risk for acquiring an infection?

1. A 56-year-old with a urinary catheter 2 days after prostatectomy
2. A 27-year-old diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
3. A 43-year-old who is 3 days post appendectomy and is currently afebrile
4. A 16-year-old with a compound fractured femur as a result of a bike accident

ANSWER

ANS: 4
Clients are at risk for acquiring infections because of lower resistance to infectious microorgan-isms, increased exposure to numbers and types of disease-causing microorganisms, and invasive procedures. The exposure to earth-bound microorganisms makes the compound fracture client at the greatest risk since that risk is uncontrollable.