A nurse is admitting a client who has active tuberculosis to a medical-surgical unit. Which of the following precautions should the nurse make for the client?

Choice A reason: Contact precautions are used for infections spread by direct touch (e.g., MRSA). Tuberculosis spreads via airborne particles, requiring airborne precautions with negative-pressure rooms and N95 masks. Contact precautions are insufficient, making this incorrect for managing active tuberculosis transmission. Choice B reason: Droplet precautions apply to infections spread by large respiratory droplets (e.g., influenza). Tuberculosis requires airborne precautions due to small, aerosolized particles that remain suspended. Droplet precautions are inadequate, as they don’t address TB’s airborne transmission, making this incorrect. Choice C reason: Airborne precautions are required for active tuberculosis, as Mycobacterium tuberculosis spreads via aerosolized droplets. Negative-pressure rooms, N95 respirators, and restricted visitation minimize transmission, aligning with CDC guidelines, making this the correct precaution for the client’s safety and others. Choice D reason: Protective isolation protects immunocompromised patients, not those with infectious diseases like tuberculosis. Airborne precautions prevent TB spread to others, as the client is the infection source, making protective isolation inappropriate for this contagious condition.