Transmission-Based Isolation Precautions:
When Standard Precautions are not enough Isolation is implemented in addition to Standard Precautions based on the way the organism is transmitted:
•Contact Precautions
•Droplet Precautions
•Airborne Precautions
Transmission-Based Precautions, used either singularly or in combination, when patients are known or suspected to be infected or colonized with highly transmissible organisms.
Isolation Carts or PPE Stations are Used to Store Necessary Isolation Supplies
•Contact Precautions
•Droplet Precautions
•Airborne Precautions
Transmission-Based Precautions, used either singularly or in combination, when patients are known or suspected to be infected or colonized with highly transmissible organisms.
Isolation Carts or PPE Stations are Used to Store Necessary Isolation Supplies
Contact Precautions are used to prevent transmission of organisms spread by direct or indirect contact, the most frequent way hospital acquired infections are transferred. Examples of direct and indirect contact:
Direct Contact
Touching contaminated person or material |
Indirect Contact
Contact with contaminated object |
Contact Precautions are critical for controlling multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs) such as:
•MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
•VRE (Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus)
•Resistant Gram negative organisms
Other Examples of organisms spread by Contact include:
Contagious skin infections, Lice and Scabies, C. Difficile
Basic practice for Contact Precautions include:
•Gloves and Gown: Wear gloves and gown before entering room and remove before leaving the room. Perform Hand Hygiene immediately upon removal of PPE.
• Transport: Instruct patient to wear clean gown and perform hand hygiene. Clean any patient equipment such as the patient bed or
wheelchair before leaving the room.
DO NOT WEAR PPE to transport patient unless contact with patient is unavoidable.
• Dedicated Patient Equipment:
*Dedicated patient-care equipment to the patients room such as blood-pressure cuffs and stethoscopes.
Some organisms spread by CONTACT will survive for long periods on environmental surfaces. (MRSA can live for up to 6 weeks)
If equipment has to be shared between other patients, clean with disinfectant wipes before the equipment leaves the patient’s room.
Clean all equipment, beds, walkers, IV poles, etc before they leave the isolation room.
•MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
•VRE (Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus)
•Resistant Gram negative organisms
Other Examples of organisms spread by Contact include:
Contagious skin infections, Lice and Scabies, C. Difficile
Basic practice for Contact Precautions include:
•Gloves and Gown: Wear gloves and gown before entering room and remove before leaving the room. Perform Hand Hygiene immediately upon removal of PPE.
• Transport: Instruct patient to wear clean gown and perform hand hygiene. Clean any patient equipment such as the patient bed or
wheelchair before leaving the room.
DO NOT WEAR PPE to transport patient unless contact with patient is unavoidable.
• Dedicated Patient Equipment:
*Dedicated patient-care equipment to the patients room such as blood-pressure cuffs and stethoscopes.
Some organisms spread by CONTACT will survive for long periods on environmental surfaces. (MRSA can live for up to 6 weeks)
If equipment has to be shared between other patients, clean with disinfectant wipes before the equipment leaves the patient’s room.
Clean all equipment, beds, walkers, IV poles, etc before they leave the isolation room.
For Communication:
Contact Precaution sign is placed on the patient’s door and chart.
Contact Enteric Precautions are used on Patients with acute diarrhea with unknown etiology or with diagnosis of:
C. Difficile (C. Diff); Norovirus; Rotavirus; Salmonella
Upon transfer or discharge, the room of a patient with C. Difficile will need to be cleaned with a chlorine-based disinfectant.
For Communication:
Contact Precaution sign is placed on the patient’s door and chart.
Droplet precautions are used to prevent transmission of mircoorganisms spread by large, moist droplets from coughing, sneezing, talk and during certain clinical procedures.
Droplets are propelled a short distance through the air (approximately 3 feet) and land on the susceptible person’s mucus membranes of the eyes, nose, or mouth.
Droplets do not remain in the air, therefore special air handling and ventilation are not required.
An Isolation Mask (surgical mask) Must be worn by those working within three feet of the patient in Droplet Precautions or when providing direct patient care.
Examples of infections spread by droplets:
•Influenza
•Meningitis
Respiratory viruses:
•Rubella
•Mumps
•pertussis (whooping cough)
Airborne Precautions
Are used to prevent transmission of microorganisms spread on very small particles that drift on air currents such as droplet nuclei, dust particles. These organisms can remain suspended in the air for long periods of time.
Examples of infections that require Airborne Isolation are:
Pulmonary Tuberculosis (TB)
Varicella (Chicken Pox)
Measles
Are used to prevent transmission of microorganisms spread on very small particles that drift on air currents such as droplet nuclei, dust particles. These organisms can remain suspended in the air for long periods of time.
Examples of infections that require Airborne Isolation are:
Pulmonary Tuberculosis (TB)
Varicella (Chicken Pox)
Measles