ASCP Phlebotomy Technician Certification Practice Exam 2025 - Free Phlebotomy Practice Questions and Study Guide

Airborne precautions are necessary for conditions that can be transmitted through tiny droplets that remain suspended in the air for extended periods of time. Tuberculosis is a classic example of a disease that requires these precautions because the bacteria that cause tuberculosis can be dispersed when an infected person coughs or sneezes, leading to potential transmission to others nearby who may inhale these droplets.

In healthcare settings, airborne precautions help prevent the spread of infections that are transmitted via these airborne pathogens. For tuberculosis, this would include placing the patient in a negative pressure room and ensuring that staff wear N95 respirators or equivalent protective masks when providing care.

The other conditions listed, such as chickenpox, COVID-19, and mumps, have different transmission methods or require additional precautions beyond airborne precautions alone. While chickenpox also requires airborne precautions, tuberculosis is more definitively characterized by the necessity of such measures in clinical practice, as it has a higher potential for airborne transmission. COVID-19 is primarily droplet transmission, although airborne transmission can occur in specific circumstances. Mumps is primarily spread through respiratory droplets, making it less dependent on airborne precautions compared to tuberculosis.