This document discusses isolation precautions in healthcare settings. It defines isolation precautions as special measures used to prevent the spread of contagious diseases. The document outlines the different modes of disease transmission - contact, droplet, airborne, vector-borne, and common vehicles. It then describes the various types of isolation precautions, including standard, contact, droplet and airborne precautions. For each type of precaution, it provides details on patient placement, signs, personal protective equipment used, and other measures to prevent disease transmission.

1. Ross Ibabao
KJO Hospital
IC Coordinator

2. Learning Objectives
 Discuss chain of infection and different types of
mode of transmission
 Define isolation precautions and describe
different types isolation precautions.
 Describe contact precautions and conditions
under which to use contact precautions.
 Describe conditions under which to use droplet
precautions.
 Describe conditions under which to use airborne
precautions.
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3. Chain of infection
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4. Mode of transmission
 A microorganism may be spread by a single or
multiple routes.
 Contact, direct or indirect
 Droplet
 Airborne
 Vector-borne (usually arthropod) and
 Common environmental sources or vehicles -
includes food-borne and waterborne, medications
e.g., contaminated IV fluids
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5. Contact Transmission
 Direct-contact
 Direct body surface-to-body surface contact and
 Physical transfer of microorganisms between a
susceptible host and an infected or colonized person
 Indirect-contact
 Contact of a susceptible host with a contaminated
intermediate object, usually inanimate, such as
contaminated instruments, needles, or dressings, or
contaminated hands or gloves
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6. Droplet Transmission
 Droplet generation
 coughing,
 sneezing,
 talking,
 procedures such as suctioning and
bronchoscopy
 Droplet deposited on the host’s conjunctivae,
nasal mucosa, or mouth.
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7. Airborne Transmission
 Small-particle residue {5µm or smaller} of
evaporated droplets containing microorganisms
 Suspended in the air for long periods of time
 Dispersed by air currents
 Inhaled by a susceptible host within the same
room or over a longer distance
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8. Definition of Isolation Precautions
Source: Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. © 2009, Elsevier.
 Special precautionary measures, practices, and
procedures used in the care of patients with
contagious or communicable diseases
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9. Fundamentals of Isolation
Precautions
 Handwashing and gloving
 Personal protective equipment's:
 Masks, respiratory protection, eye protection, face shields, gowns
and protective apparel
 Patient-care equipment and articles
 Linen and laundry
 Routine and terminal cleaning
 Patient placement
 Transport of infected patients
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10. 10
Isolation
Precautions
Patient
Transport
Linen & laundry
Patient care equipment
And articles
Routine and
Terminal
Cleaning
PPE
Hand hygiene
Patient
placement
Isolation Precautions

11. Types of Isolation Precautions
 Standard Precautions
 Transmission-based precautions
 Contact precautions
 Airborne precautions
 Droplet precautions
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12. TRANSMISSION-BASED PRECAUTIONS
Patient Placement
 Single patient rooms is
always indicated for patients
placed on airborne
precautions and preferable
for those who require contact
or droplet precautions
 Cohort patients with same
organism.
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13. TRANSMISSION-BASED
PRECAUTIONS
Management of Visitors
 Visitors as sources of healthcare associated infections
– e.g., pertussis, influenza, tuberculosis
 Cough etiquette
 Isolation Logbook
 Use of barrier precautions by visitors
 Educate patients and family members
 Follow signs for isolation precautions
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14. TRANSMISSION-BASED PRECAUTIONS
Contact Precautions
 Infections spread by direct or indirect contact with patients or
patient-care environment
 Limit patient movement
 Private/SINGLE room or cohort with patients with same
infection or diagnosis
 Wear disposable gown and gloves when entering the patient
room
 Remove and discard used disposable gown and gloves inside the
patient room
 Wash hands immediately after leaving the patient room
 Clean patient room daily using a hospital disinfectant, with
attention to frequently touched surfaces
 Use dedicated equipment if possible (e.g., stethoscope)
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15. Contact Precautions cont.
GLOVES
 Use gloves when entering the room.
 Change gloves after contact with infective material.
 Remove gloves before leaving the room.
 Wash hands or use appropriate gel after glove removal.
 Do not touch infective material or surfaces with hands.
 Clean, non-sterile gloves are usually adequate.
GOWN
 Use protective gown when entering the room if
 direct contact with patient or
 potentially contaminated surfaces or
 equipment near patient is anticipated or
 if the patient has diarrhea or
 colostomy or wound drainage that is not covered by a dressing.
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16. Contact Precautions Signage
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17. Droplet Precautions
Reduce the risk of transmission by large particle
droplets (larger than 5 m in size).
Requires close contact between the source person
and the recipient
Droplets usually travel 3 feet or less
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18. Droplet Precautions cont.
 A private/single room or
 Cohort with patient with active infection with same
microorganism
 Use a mask when entering the room and definitely if within
3 feet of patient
 Limit movement and transport of the patient. Use a mask
on the patient if they need to be moved and follow
respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette
 Keep at least 3 feet between infected patient and visitors
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19. Droplet Precautions Signage
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20. Airborne Precautions
Tuberculosis, measles, varicella
Place the patient in an airborne infection isolation room (AIIR)
Pressure should be monitored with visible indicator is
recommended
Use of respiratory protection (e.g., fit tested N95 respirator) or
powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) when entering the room
Limit movement and transport of the patient. Use a mask on the
patient if they need to be moved
Keep patient room door closed.
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21. Airborne Precautions Signage
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22. Summary
 Isolation precautions is important in all healthcare
settings to prevention transmission of infections
 2 types of isolation precautions
 Usage of each type of precautions
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23. References
 2007 Guideline for isolation precautions: preventing
transmission of infectious agents in healthcare settings:
http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/2007IP/2007isolationPrecautio
ns.html
 CDC guidelines for isolation precautions in hospitals 1996,
Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee
(HICPAC):
http://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/prevguid/p0000419/p0000
419.asp
 Principles of Epidemiology in public health practice, 3rd
edition
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