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Correct Answer: airborne precautions
the correct isolation category for managing a patient with tuberculosis (tb) is airborne precautions. tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium mycobacterium tuberculosis, which primarily affects the lungs but can also impact other parts of the body. the disease is transmitted through the air; when a person with active pulmonary tb coughs, sneezes, speaks, or even sings, tiny droplets containing the bacteria can be released into the air.
airborne precautions are essential in preventing the spread of diseases that are transmitted via small droplet nuclei that can remain suspended in the air for long periods and can be inhaled by individuals who are not in direct contact with the infected person. in addition to tuberculosis, airborne precautions are also used for diseases such as measles (rubeola) and varicella (chickenpox).
in a healthcare setting, implementing airborne precautions involves several specific measures:
1. placing the patient in a room with negative air pressure. this prevents air from the patient's room from flowing into common areas.
2. using a high-efficiency particulate air (hepa) filtration system or directing air flow to the outside to remove and dilute infectious particles.
3. healthcare workers and visitors wearing respirators that can filter out very small particles (n95 respirators or higher), particularly when they are in the patient's room.
4. limiting the movement and transport of the patient from the room. if transport is necessary, the patient should wear a surgical mask to contain droplets.
other types of precautions mentioned in healthcare include:
- **droplet precautions**: used for infections spread by large droplet particles that can travel only short distances through the air, such as pertussis (whooping cough), influenza, and certain types of meningitis.
- **contact precautions**: employed for infections that spread by direct contact with the patient or the patient's environment. examples include infections caused by mrsa, vre, scabies, and impetigo.
- **standard precautions**: these are the basic infection control practices used in the care of all patients all of the time, regardless of their diagnosis or presumed infection status. this includes hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (ppe) as needed, and safe injection practices.
therefore, when caring for patients with tuberculosis, airborne precautions are the most appropriate to prevent the transmission of tb bacteria to other patients, healthcare workers, and visitors within the facility.
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