What type of room is recommended for airborne precautions?

A negative air pressure room is specifically designed to contain airborne pathogens, preventing them from escaping into other areas of the facility. This type of room has an air pressure system that ensures that air flows into the room from surrounding areas, but any air that leaves the room is filtered to remove infectious particles. This is particularly crucial for infections that are transmitted through the air, such as tuberculosis or certain viral infections.

In contrast, standard private rooms do not have the necessary ventilation systems to control airborne transmission, shared rooms pose a risk of spreading infections among patients, and open wards offer minimal to no barriers to aerosolized pathogens. Therefore, a negative air pressure room is the only recommended environment for safely managing patients requiring airborne precautions.