Download Section: 2-1

Infection Prevention and Control – Isolation/Precaution Categories
Strength of Evidence Level: 3
PURPOSE:
To reduce the risk of exposure and prevent the
transmission of infection to patients and personnel.
EQUIPMENT:
None
CONSIDERATIONS:
1. Standard precautions are followed for all patients
regardless of diagnosis.
2. The following isolation/precaution categories have
been developed by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) to isolate patients for specific
diseases. All professional staff that identify patients
with the following disease processes will implement
the designated precautions.
3. Airborne Precautions:
a. In addition to Standard Precautions, use
airborne precautions for patients known or
suspected to have illnesses transmitted by
airborne droplet nuclei. e.g., measles, chicken
pox and tuberculosis
b. Wear OSHA-approved respiratory protection for
patients with known or suspected tuberculosis.
(See Precautions for Care of Patients with
Tuberculosis.)
c. Do not enter the home of patients known or
suspected to have rubella (measles) or varicella
(chicken pox) if susceptible to these infections.
Immune employees should provide care to
these patients.
4. Droplet Precautions:
a. In addition to Standard Precautions, use Droplet
Precautions for patients known or suspected to
have serious illnesses transmitted by large
particle droplets. e.g., Hemophilus influenza
type b, Neisseria meningitis disease,
Streptococcal pharyngitis, diphtheria, pertussis,
scarlet fever, adenovirus, influenza mumps,
parvo virus B19 and rubella
b. Wear a surgical mask when entering the home
of a patient on Droplet Precautions.
5. Contact Precautions:
a. In addition to Standard Precautions, use
Contact Precautions for patients known or
suspected to be infected or colonized with
epidemiologically important microorganisms
that can be easily transmitted by direct contact
with the patient (hand or skin-to-skin contact
that occurs when performing patient care
activities that require touching the patient’s dry
skin) or indirect contact (touching)
environmental surfaces or patient care items in
the patient’s environment. e.g., Clostridium
difficile; other enteric pathogens accompanied
by diarrhea (Shigella, Salmonella, hepatitis A,
rotavirus); major abscesses, cellulitis, decubiti
where drainage is not contained by dressing;
6.
7.
SECTION: 14.10
__RN__LPN/LVN__HHA
scabies, herpes zoster, impetigo, Methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus and
Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus.
b. Gloves: Wear gloves when entering the home
of a patient on contact precautions. Remove
gloves before leaving the patient’s home and
wash hands immediately.
c. Gowns: Wear gowns when you anticipate
substantial contact with the patient,
environmental surfaces or items in the patient’s
home; if the patient is incontinent, has diarrhea,
an ileostomy or colostomy or wound drainage
not contained by a dressing. Remove the gown
before leaving the patient’s home.
Patients may be taken off Isolation Precautions
when no longer considered infectious through
consultation with the patient’s physician.
Refer to CDC guideline for Isolation Precautions for
information on other diseases that may require
isolation.