Quick answerOn day 14, the client has three negative AFB smears, clinical improvement, and 14 days of effective therapy, meeting CDC criteria for discontinuing airborne precautions.
Why this is correctThe trend demonstrates that all three CDC criteria for discontinuation of airborne precautions are met by day 14: three consecutive negative AFB smears on different days, clinical improvement, and at least 2 weeks of effective therapy with documented adherence.
Clinical pictureAirborne precautions for pulmonary TB can be discontinued when the client has three negative AFB sputum smears collected on different days, clinical improvement, and at least 2 weeks of effective therapy with documented adherence.
Memory hookRemember the '3-2-1' rule: 3 negative smears, 2 weeks of therapy, 1 clinical improvement.
NCLEX decision ruleCDC guidelines state that airborne precautions for TB can be discontinued when all three criteria are met.
Why the alternatives are wrongDiscontinuing precautions before all criteria are met risks transmission. Continuing precautions unnecessarily may delay discharge and increase costs, but is not unsafe.
Sources
1NCSBN 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan
2CDC Tuberculosis Screening and Testing of Health Care Personnel