NCLEX Question of the Day
Safety and Infection Control QID 1249
A client with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) needs to be transported from their airborne infection isolation room (AIIR) to the radiology department for a chest x-ray. Which infection control measure is essential during transport?
Explanation
Clients with active pulmonary TB are placed in airborne precautions because the bacteria can be suspended in the air. When transport outside the AIIR is necessary, the client must wear a surgical mask to contain respiratory secretions and limit the dispersal of infectious droplet nuclei into the surrounding environment. This minimizes exposure to others during transport.
While healthcare workers entering the client's AIIR must wear N95 respirators, staff outside the isolation room (like radiology staff in their department) are protected if the *client* wears a surgical mask during transport. Covering the client with a sheet does not prevent airborne transmission. Transport personnel do not typically need masks if the client is properly masked.
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