PRECAUTIONS

1. PRECAUTIONS By: Lane Dickerson & Kirsten Stallings

2. Isolation Precautions - Special precautionary measures, practices, and procedures used in the care of patients with contagious or communicable diseases.

3. Standard • Standard precautions are a set of infection control practices used to prevent transmission of diseases that can be acquired by contact with blood, body fluids, non-intact skin (including rashes), and mucous membranes. • Requires: hand washing, gloves, gowns, masks, respirators, and eyewear

4. Contact • Bacteria or virus can be acquired by either directly touching the infected site or body fluid or by touching equipment that may be contaminated with infectious material. • Requires: private patient room, gloves, gown, and alcohol patient shared equipment.

5. Airborne • Bacteria or virus causing their disease is so small that it can be suspended in the air for long periods of time and may be carried for long distances on air currents. • Requires: All employees must wear a respirator, and isolate patient (private rooms with a negative air pressure to the outside corridor, have 6 air exchanges per hour, and the room air is directly exhausted to the outside)

6. Droplet • Droplet transmission occurs when the person coughs or sneezes and releases large respiratory droplets into the air. • Requires: Isolation of patient (No special ventilation is required), surgical mask