Isolation

Prepared by
Richa Shrestha
PBBN 2nd year
9th batch
Charak Academy
 Introduction

• Isolation is the separation of infected persons from the non infected

persons for the period of communicability conditions which will
prevent or limit the spread of infections.

• An isolation technique is used by the nurses or health personnel to

prevent the spread of communicable pathogens or microorganisms.

• It is also called barrier nursing technique.

 Types of isolation precautions

1) Transmission based precautions

2) Universal / Standard precautions

 Transmission based precautions

• These precautions are designed for patients documented or suspected

to be infected with highly transmissible or epidemiologically
important pathogens for which additional precautions beyond standard
precautions are needed to interrupt transmission in hospitals.
 Cont…

• There are 3 types of transmission based precautions :

- Contact precautions
- Droplet precautions
- Airborne precautions
 Cont…

• They may be combined for diseases that have multiple routes of

transmission .

• When used either singularly or in combination, they are to be used in

addition to standard precautions.
 Contact precautions

 Used to prevent transmission of organisms from an infected or

colonized patient through direct or indirect contact.

 Direct contact transmission involves skin to skin contact and physical

transfer of microorganism to a susceptible host from an
infected/colonized person.
 Cont…

• Indirect contact transmission involves contact of a susceptible host

with a contaminated inanimate object in the patients environment.

• Sources of infection are draining wounds, secretions and supplies.

 Precautions during contact diseases

• Implement standard precautions.

• Place patient in single room.

• Wear clean, non sterile gloves & gowns when entering the room.

• Limit the transport of the patient from the room.

• Draining wounds should be covered with clean dressing.

 Droplet precautions

• This precautions are designed to reduce the risk of droplet

transmission of infectious agents.

• Droplet transmission involves contact of conjunctiva or the mucous

membranes of the nose or mouth of a susceptible person with large
particle droplets (larger than 5mm) containing microorganisms
generated from a infected person.
 Precaution during droplet infection

• Implement standard precautions.

• Place patient in a single room.

• Wear a surgical mask, gowns when working within 3-6 feet of patient.

• Disposal of mask outside the patients room.

• Place a surgical mask on patient if transport is necessary.

 Air-borne precautions

• These are designed to reduce the risk of airborne transmission of infectious

agents.

• Microorganisms carried by air may become inhaled by a susceptible host

within the same room or over a longer distance from the patient source
depending on environmental factors.

• Therefore special air handling & ventilation are required to prevent air borne
transmission.
 Precautions in air-borne disease

• Implement standard precautions.

• Place patient in a single room

that has a monitored negative
airflow pressure.

• Keep doors closed all the time.

 Cont…

• Anyone who enters the room

must wear N95 respirator.
• Remove the N95 mask outside
the patients room after closing
the door.
• Limit the movement and
transport of patient from the
room for essential purpose only.
 References

• Rekha timalsina , Janaki dhami , Essential textbook of fundamental of nursing,

samiksha publication pvt.ltd ,3rd edition 2019, pg-143

• Sumita pathak , Rama devkota , A textbook of fundamentals of nursing, vidyarthi

pustak bhandar , revised edition 2015, pg-368 -371

• Merina giri , Pratima sharma , Essential fundamentals of nursing, medhavi

publication, 1st edition 2013, pg- 286 to 287.

• www.wikipedia.com