Infectious Disease Transmission Precautions

Infectious Disease & Transmission Based Precautions

• Standard/Universal Precautions: Applied to all patients regardless of their diagnosis. Focuses on preventing the spread of infections through barrier precautions and hand hygiene.
• Contact Precautions: Used for infections spread by direct contact with an infected person or contaminated surfaces.
  • Examples: C.diff, cholera, shigellosis, rotavirus, distentary, herpes, Hepatitis A, staph infections (MRSA), RSV.
  • Key Practices: Private room preferred (unless same infection), gloves, gown, hand washing, disposable supplies, dedicated equipment.
• Droplet Precautions: Used for infections spread by large respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.
  • Examples: Influenza, Meningitis, Viral infections.
  • Key Practices: Private room preferred, mask, gloves, hand washing, patient wearing mask during transport, disposable supplies.
• Airborne Precautions: Used for infections spread through small particles that remain suspended in the air for extended periods.
  • Examples: Measles,Tuberculosis, Chicken pox, SARS (Severe acute respiratory system).
  • Key Practices: Private room required, mask, gloves, hand washing, special filter mask (N95 for TB), patient wearing mask during transport, negative air flow.

### Donning and Doffing PPE

• Donning (Putting on) PPE:
  • Order: Gown, mask, goggles, gloves.
  • Location: Outside of the patient room.
• Doffing (Removing) PPE:
  • Order: Gloves, goggles, gown, mask.
  • Location: Inside the patient room (except mask, which is removed outside).

Hand Hygiene

• Hand Washing:
  • Position: Hands below elbows.
  • Length: Seconds.
  • Handles: Yes, if sink has handles.
  • When: Upon entry and leaving room, before and after gloving, when hands are visibly soiled.
  • Use: Soap and water.
• Scrubbing:
  • Position: Elbows below hands.
  • Length: Minutes.
  • Handles: No, if sink has handles.
  • When: When patient is immunosuppressed for any reason.
  • Use: Chlorinated product.
• Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer: Can be used when hands are not visibly soiled. However, washing hands with soap and water is always preferred.