
Healthcare workers caring for patients in Contact Isolation Precautions must: Prior to entering the patient’s room. Put on and secure a clean gown (do not save/reuse gowns) Clean hands Put on gloves Prior to exiting a patient’s room/area:
Full Answer
What are contact precautions and how are they used?
Contact precautions are used when a person has a type of bacteria or virus on the skin or in a sore, or elsewhere in the body, such as the intestine, that can be transmitted to someone else if that person touches the infected individual or contaminated surfaces or equipment near the infected individual.
What should be avoided when placing patients on contact precautions?
Avoid placing patients on Contact Precautions in the same room with patients who have conditions that may increase the risk of adverse outcome from infection or that may facilitate transmission (e.g., those who are immunocompromised, have open wounds, or have anticipated prolonged lengths of stay).
When are contact precautions indicated in the treatment of HIV infection?
Use Contact Precautions as recommended in Appendix A for patients with known or suspected infections or evidence of syndromes that represent an increased risk for contact transmission.
How can we prevent infection in patients on contact precautions?
Ensure that rooms of patients on Contact Precautions are prioritized for frequent cleaning and disinfection (e.g., at least daily) with a focus on frequently-touched surfaces (e.g., bed rails, overbed table, bedside commode, lavatory surfaces in patient bathrooms, doorknobs) and equipment in the immediate vicinity of the patient.

When a patient is under contact precautions?
Contact precautions are used when a person has a type of bacteria or virus on the skin or in a sore, or elsewhere in the body, such as the intestine, that can be transmitted to someone else if that person touches the infected individual or contaminated surfaces or equipment near the infected individual.
Which action does the CDC recommend regarding contact precautions?
Prioritize cleaning and disinfection of the rooms of patients on contact precautions ensuring rooms are frequently cleaned and disinfected (e.g., at least daily or prior to use by another patient if outpatient setting) focusing on frequently-touched surfaces and equipment in the immediate vicinity of the patient.
What are nursing contact precautions?
Contact Precautions are intended to prevent transmission of infectious agents, like MDROs, that are spread by direct or indirect contact with the resident or the resident's environment. Contact Precautions require the use of gown and gloves on every entry into a resident's room.
What PPE would you wear if a patient is on contact precautions?
gownsFor contact precautions, gowns are worn during all patient contact and when in the patient's environment. Gowns are always worn in combination with gloves, and with other PPE when indicated.
Do you need a mask for contact precautions?
Health care personnel caring for patients on Droplet Precautions must wear a face mask for close patient contact, considered to be within six feet or less or in the room of the patient. Taking a blood pressure, listening to lung sounds and administering medication would all require staff to wear a face mask.
Which of the following is part of contact precautions?
Contact precautions prevent the spread of infectious agents by direct and indirect contact. Key components of contact precautions include HH, PPE, patient placement, equipment management, patient transport, and visitor management.
Can patients on contact precautions leave their room?
Leave your room only when medically necessary and wear a mask when you do. Limit visitors to a few family members and friends. Brothers and sisters of pediatric patients on droplet precautions are discouraged from visiting and may not visit communal areas such as the playroom.
What does the nurse need to do to educate a client about contact isolation?
Educate as per contact precautions signage. Recommend visit only one patient. Visitors to wear gloves and gown if participating in direct patient care. Visitors to remove gloves and gown and perform hand hygiene prior to leaving room.
What are the 5 types of precautions?
Infection Control and Prevention - Transmission-based precautionsContact Precautions. ... Droplet Precautions. ... Airborne Precautions. ... Eye Protection.
What PPE do you need for isolation precautions?
Isolation or barrier precautions include the appropriate use of PPE, such as a gown, mask, eye protection, and gloves. Patients should be placed in isolation based on signs and symptoms until a diagnosis is confirmed.
Why PPE should always be used in accordance with standard precautions?
The use of standard precautions aims to minimise, and where possible, eliminate the risk of transmission of infection, particularly those caused by blood borne viruses. Standard precautions apply to all patients regardless of their diagnosis or presumed infection status.
What are the four PPE to wear to follow standard precautions?
PPE includes: gowns, masks, eye protection, and/or a face shield for high splash areas such as the operating room (OR) or a trauma area. Standard precautions include varying aspects of protective measures.
Why Do I Need Contact Precautions?
Contact precautions prevent the spread of bacteria, parasites, and viruses from one person to another. The spread of germs can occur when touching...
What Do I Need to Know About Contact Precautions in The Hospital?
Healthcare providers will place a sign on your door to explain contact precautions to visitors: 1. Healthcare providers and visitors will wear gown...
What Do I Need to Know About Contact Precautions at Home?
You and those in your home need to follow the same hospital precautions along with those below: 1. Wear gloves and a gown to handle dirty items and...
Why do we need contact precautions?
Contact precautions prevent the spread of bacteria, parasites, and viruses from one person to another. The spread of germs can occur when touching an infected person and their dirty items, such as clothing, and surfaces. You may need contact precautions if you have diarrhea, draining wounds, a rash, or lice.
Why do healthcare providers put a sign on the door?
Healthcare providers will place a sign on your door to explain contact precautions to visitors: Healthcare providers and visitors will wear gowns and gloves when they enter your room . They will also wash their hands before they leave your room.
What precautions should I take if I have diarrhea?
You may need contact precautions if you have diarrhea, draining wounds, a rash, or lice. You may also need contact precautions if you have an ostomy or a bag that collects your urine or bowel movements.
How to clean hands after gloves are removed?
Wash hands after gloves are removed and after surfaces and dirty items are touched. Use a bleach-based cleaner. You can also create a cleaning solution by mixing 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Clean surfaces daily. Surfaces include the toilet, the area around the toilet, the sink, the area around the sink, and faucets.
Can you refuse treatment?
You always have the right to refuse treatment. The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.
Can you leave a blood pressure cuff in your room?
Healthcare providers will leave items such as a blood pressure cuff or stethoscope in your room. The items will be used only for your care. You may not be not be able to leave your room unless urgent tests are needed. You will be able to leave your room once you have a physician's order.
What to use when hands are dirty?
When hands are visibly dirty, contaminated with proteinaceous material, or visibly soiled with blood or body fluids, wash hands with either a nonantimicrobial soap and water or an antimicrobial soap and water. IA. IV.A.3.
What is a place together cohort?
Place together (cohort) patients who are presumed to have the same infection ( based on clinical presentation and diagnosis when known) in areas of the facility that are away from other patients, especially patients who are at increased risk for infection ( e.g., immunocompromised patients).
When to wear a surgical mask?
Wear a surgical mask when placing a catheter or injecting material into the spinal canal or subdural space (i.e., during myelograms, lumbar puncture and spinal or epidural anesthesia). 906, 907-909, 910, 911, 912-914, 918, 1007 Category IB
What to use when hands are dirty?
When hands are visibly dirty, contaminated with proteinaceous material, or visibly soiled with blood or body fluids, wash hands with either a nonantimicrobial soap and water or an antimicrobial soap and water. 559 Category IA. IV.A.3.
What is IV.A.1?
IV.A.1. During the delivery of healthcare, avoid unnecessary touching of surfaces in close proximity to the patient to prevent both contamination of clean hands from environmental surfaces and transmission of pathogens from contaminated hands to surfaces. 72, 73, 739, 800, 975 {CDC, 2001 #970 Category IB/IB
What is a place together cohort?
Place together (cohort) patients who are presumed to have the same infection ( based on clinical presentation and diagnosis when known) in areas of the facility that are away from other patients, especially patients who are at increased risk for infection ( e.g., immunocompromised patients).

III.A. Standard Precautions
- Standard Precautions combine the major features of Universal Precautions (UP) 780, 896 and Body Substance Isolation (BSI) 640 and are based on the principle that all blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions except sweat, nonintact skin, and mucous membranes may contain transmissible infectious agents. Standard Precautions include a group of infection prevention pr…
III.B. Transmission-Based Precautions
- There are three categories of Transmission-Based Precautions: Contact Precautions, Droplet Precautions, and Airborne Precautions. Transmission-Based Precautions are used when the route(s) of transmission is (are) not completely interrupted using Standard Precautions alone. For some diseases that have multiple routes of transmission (e.g., SARS), more than one Transmiss…
III.C. Syndromic and Empiric Applications of Transmission-Based Precautions
- Diagnosis of many infections requires laboratory confirmation. Since laboratory tests, especially those that depend on culture techniques, often require two or more days for completion, Transmission-Based Precautions must be implemented while test results are pending based on the clinical presentation and likely pathogens. Use of appropriate Transm...
III.D. Discontinuation of Transmission-Based Precautions
- Transmission-Based Precautions remain in effect for limited periods of time (i.e., while the risk for transmission of the infectious agent persists or for the duration of the illness (Appendix A). For most infectious diseases, this duration reflects known patterns of persistence and shedding of infectious agents associated with the natural history of the infectious process and its treatment…
III.F. Protective Environment
- A Protective Environment is designed for allogeneic HSCT patients to minimize fungal spore counts in the air and reduce the risk of invasive environmental fungal infections (see Table 5 for specifications).11, 13-15 The need for such controls has been demonstrated in studies of aspergillus outbreaks associated with construction.11, 14, 15, 157, 158 As defined by the Ameri…