Which isolation approach uses higher air pressure to keep contaminants from entering the room?

Which isolation approach uses higher air pressure to keep contaminants from entering the room?

• A. Negative pressure rooms
• B. Standard air rooms
• C. Positive pressure rooms
• D. Infectious isolation suites

Answer: (C)

Maintaining different air pressures is a key strategy in hospital room design. When a room is kept at higher pressure than adjacent areas, air flows outward through gaps and doors, which helps prevent outside contaminants from entering the room. This outward push protects patients inside by keeping external contaminants from seeping in. That setup is known as a positive pressure room. In contrast, negative pressure rooms pull air in from surrounding areas to keep any pathogens contained within the room, and standard rooms have no special pressure, so they don’t actively prevent outside contaminants from entering. Infectious isolation suites are typically designed to contain pathogens, often using negative pressure, rather than using higher pressure to keep contaminants out. So the description describes a positive pressure room.

Maintaining different air pressures is a key strategy in hospital room design. When a room is kept at higher pressure than adjacent areas, air flows outward through gaps and doors, which helps prevent outside contaminants from entering the room. This outward push protects patients inside by keeping external contaminants from seeping in. That setup is known as a positive pressure room. In contrast, negative pressure rooms pull air in from surrounding areas to keep any pathogens contained within the room, and standard rooms have no special pressure, so they don’t actively prevent outside contaminants from entering. Infectious isolation suites are typically designed to contain pathogens, often using negative pressure, rather than using higher pressure to keep contaminants out. So the description describes a positive pressure room.