Negative air pressure is used for isolation; which rooms should also have negative air pressure?

• A. Protective environment rooms
• B. Patient rooms
• C. Clean utility rooms
• D. Decontamination rooms and bathrooms

Answer: (D)

Negative air pressure keeps potentially contaminated air from moving into clean areas by drawing air into the room and exhausting it away, often through filtration. This is crucial in spaces where aerosols can be generated or contaminants handled, so air flows into the room rather than out into hallways or adjacent rooms.

Decontamination rooms and bathrooms fit this need because activities there involve handling contaminated materials and releasing aerosols during cleaning, flushing, or waste processing. Maintaining negative pressure in these spaces helps contain any airborne contaminants and protects surrounding areas and staff.

Other options don’t fit as well. Protective environment rooms require positive pressure to protect immunocompromised patients by keeping contaminants out. Standard patient rooms aren’t necessarily kept under negative pressure unless they’re specifically used for airborne isolation. Clean utility rooms are typically kept under positive or neutral pressure to prevent ingress of contaminants into clean areas.