What type of personal protective equipment must a phlebotomist use when entering a room with a patient on droplet precautions?

When a phlebotomist enters a room where a patient is on droplet precautions, wearing a surgical mask is essential. Droplet precautions are implemented to prevent the transmission of pathogens that are spread through respiratory droplets. These droplets can be generated when a patient coughs, sneezes, talks, or engages in activities that can release respiratory secretions into the air.

A surgical mask acts as a barrier to prevent inhaling these droplets, thereby reducing the risk of transmission to healthcare workers. It effectively filters large respiratory particles that may be expelled by the patient. In this context, the surgical mask serves a critical role in maintaining the safety of both the healthcare worker and other patients within the healthcare setting.

While protective gowns, gloves, and face shields may be necessary in certain scenarios or for additional precautions, particularly when there is a risk of contact with blood or bodily fluids, they are not the primary requirement for droplet precautions as defined by infection control guidelines. Therefore, the surgical mask is the correct answer for a scenario specifically involving droplet precautions.