What it means
Suction. A negative-pressure room (an airborne infection isolation room) keeps air flowing into the room and out through a filter, so germs in the air do not escape to the hallway; it is used for tuberculosis, measles and chickenpox. Negative-pressure wound therapy uses a sealed foam dressing and a pump to pull fluid from a wound and help it heal. Normal breathing in also works by negative pressure in the chest.
For the nurse
Keep the door of a negative-pressure room closed and check that the pressure monitor works. For negative-pressure wound therapy, keep the seal intact and check for leaks, bleeding and the amount and color of drainage.
Related terms
N95
A close-fitting respirator mask that filters at least 95% of tiny particles from the air the wearer breathes.
airborne precautions
Infection control steps, used with standard precautions, for germs that spread through tiny particles that stay in the air.
wound vacuum-assisted closure
A wound treatment that uses a sealed dressing connected to a suction pump to draw fluid out and help the wound heal.