The nurse is transporting a patient with active tuberculosis (TB) to radiology. Which action should the nurse take?

A. Place a N95 mask on the patient: N95 masks are primarily used by healthcare workers to protect themselves from inhaling airborne particles. While important for staff, the patient should wear a surgical mask to reduce the spread of infectious droplets during transport. B. Be sure the patient is wearing a protective gown: Protective gowns are used to prevent contamination of healthcare workers’ clothing but do not reduce airborne transmission. Gowns are not indicated for patients with airborne infections during transport. C. Instruct the patient to wear gloves to radiology: Gloves help prevent contact transmission but do not reduce the airborne spread of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Gloves on the patient do not provide effective infection control in this context. D. Place a surgical mask on the patient: Having the patient wear a surgical mask during transport helps contain respiratory droplets and reduces the risk of spreading airborne TB bacteria to others in the environment. This is the standard infection control measure for patients with active TB.