Certified Medical Assistant (CMA AAMA)Safety and Infection ControlMedium
A medical assistant is preparing a room for a patient who has been identified as having active pulmonary tuberculosis. Which of the following precautions should the medical assistant anticipate needing for this patient?
- AAirborne precautions
- BDroplet precautions
- CContact precautions
- DStandard precautions only
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Airborne precautions
Pulmonary tuberculosis is transmitted via airborne droplets, requiring airborne precautions. This includes placing the patient in a negative pressure room and healthcare workers wearing an N95 respirator.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Droplet precautions are for pathogens spread by large respiratory droplets (e.g., influenza, pertussis).
- C. Contact precautions are for pathogens spread by direct or indirect contact (e.g., C. diff, MRSA).
- D. Standard precautions are used for all patients, but additional precautions are needed for specific transmissible diseases like TB.
Airborne Precautions for TB
Patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis require airborne precautions, which involve placing them in a negative pressure room and healthcare workers wearing an N95 respirator.
- TB is airborne.
- Negative pressure room.
- N95 respirator required.
Memory trick: TB, Tiny Particles, Take Airborne Care.