A physical therapist would wear a surgical face mask when working on transfer training with a patient who has which condition?

• A. Rubeola
• B. Tuberculosis
• C. Varicella zoster
• D. Bacterial pneumonia

Answer: (D)

Mask use is guided by how a disease spreads. A surgical face mask is worn to block large respiratory droplets that are expelled when a person talks, coughs, or sneezes, especially during close contact tasks like transfer training. Bacterial pneumonia is transmitted mainly through these droplets, so wearing a mask helps reduce exposure during the interaction. The other conditions listed—measles (rubeola) and chickenpox (varicella) as well as tuberculosis—spread via airborne routes and require higher levels of protection (such as an N95 respirator and specialized isolation) rather than a simple surgical mask. So a mask is most appropriate for bacterial pneumonia in this transfer-training context.