Maintaining Isolation

1. Maintaining Isolation

2. Maintaining Isolation Health care workers deal with many different diseases or disorders Some diseases are communicable (caused by an organism that can be transmitted easily) Isolation is required for communicable diseases Also called transmission-based precautions Method or technique of caring for pts with communicable diseases

3. Maintaining Isolation Standard precautions do not eliminate the need for specific isolation precautions Standard precautions are used on ALL pts Isolation is used to provide extra protection against specific diseases or pathogens to prevent their spread

4. Ways Communicable Diseases are Spread Direct contact with pt Contact with dirty linen, equipment, and supplies Contact with blood, body fluids, secretions, and excretions, such as urine, feces, and droplets from sneezing, coughing, or spitting and discharges from wounds

5. Isolation Techniques Used to limit contact with pathogenic organisms Techniques help prevent spread of disease to other people Protect the pt, family, and health care providers PPE is used to limit contact with the pathogenic organism

6. Isolation Techniques Type of isolation depends on: The causative organism of the disease The way the organism is transmitted Whether or not the pathogen is antibiotic resistant

7. Terms Used in Isolation Contaminated or Dirty Items that contain disease-producing organisms Must not be touched unless worker is protected by gloves, gown, etc. Outside of gown, gloves, and cap become contaminated during pt care

8. Terms Used in Isolation Clean Items that do not contain disease-producing organisms Have minimal chance of spreading the disease Must make every effort to prevent contamination of these items or pats of items Inside of gown and gloves is considered clean

9. Classifications of Isolation Precautions Standard precautions Airborne precautions Droplet precautions Contact precautions

10. Standard Precautions Used for ALL pts

11. Airborne Precautions Used for pts know or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by airborne droplet nuclei (small particles of evaporated droplets that contain microorganisms and remain suspended in the air) Must also use standard precautions Ex: measles, chickenpox and tuberculosis

12. Airborne Precautions Pt should be in private room with door kept closed Air in room should be discharged to outdoor air or filtered before being circulated to other areas Everyone must wear high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) mask when entering the room (specially fitted mask that creates a tight seal to prevent the entrance of small airborne pathogens)

13. Airborne Precautions People susceptible to measles or chickenpox should not enter the room Pt should only be moved from the room with a surgical mask to minimize the spread of airborne particles

14. Droplet Precautions Used for pts know or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by large particles droplets expelled during coughing, sneezing, talking, or laughing Must also use standard precautions Ex: Flu, mumps, and pneumonia

15. Droplet Precautions Pt should be in a private room If private room unavailable, a distance of at least 3 feet should separate the infected pt and other pts and visitors Masks must be worn when working within 3 feet of the pt Use of masks anywhere in the room is strongly recommended Pt should only be moved from the room with a surgical mask to minimize the spread of droplets

16. Contact Precautions Used for pts know or suspected to be infected epidemiologically important microorganisms that can be transmitted by direct contact or indirect contact Must also use standard precautions Ex: C. diff, MRSA, and E. coli

17. Contact Precautions Pt should be in a private room or with a pt who has an active infection with the same organism Gloves must be worn when entering the room Gloves must be changed after having contact with any material that may contain high concentrations of the microorganism, such as wound drainage or fecal material

18. Contact Precautions Gloves must be removed before leaving the room and hands washed with an antimicrobial agent Gown must be worn in the room if there is any chance of contact with the pt, environmental surfaces, or items in the room Gown must be removed before leaving the room and care should be taken to ensure that clothing is not contaminated Transport of pts from the room should be for essential purposes only

19. Contact Precautions Room and items in it must receive cleaning and disinfection daily and as needed Pt care equipment such as BSC, stethoscope, sphygmomanometer, thermometer) should be left in the room and used only for the pt. All equipment must be cleaned and disinfected when removed from room

20. Protective or Reverse Isolation Method used to protect certain pts from organisms present in the environment Must also use standard precautions Ex: severely burned or malnourished pts and pts with depressed or failed immune systems

21. Protective or Reverse Isolation Precautions vary depending on the pts condition Room is cleaned and disinfected before pt is put into room Frequent disinfection occurs while the pt occupies the room Anyone entering the room must wear clean or sterile gown, gloves, and mask

22. Protective or Reverse Isolation All equipment or supplies brought into the room are clean, disinfected, and/or sterile Special filters may be used to purify air that enters the room Every effort is made to protect the pt from microorganisms that cause infection or disease