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“Isolation is the separation of a patient from contact with
others in order to control the spread of an infectious or
communicable disease.”
Need of Isolation
➢ Prevents the spread of infectious diseases.
➢ Protects vulnerable patients (elderly, immunocompromised,
chronically ill).
➢ Ensures safety of healthcare workers through infection
control.
➢ Reduces cross-infection in hospitals.
➢ Helps control outbreaks in the community and healthcare
settings.
➢ Essential for public health to prevent epidemics and
pandemics. 2
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TYPES OF ISOLATION
➢ Some signs are used to identify types of isolation
➢ some hospital signs are disease specific and some are
category specific.
➢ The sign is removed when isolation is no longer
required.
➢ A checklist is also placed on the door. This list indicates
whether masks , gowns, gloves etc… are required for
persons entering the room. Any other pertinent
information is also on this sign.
➢ Patients are isolated according to the mode of
transmission of the disease. 4
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Chain of Infection
Mode of Isolation
Wound
Strict Respiratory Protective Enteric and Blood Discharge
isolation isolation Isolation isolation skin isolation isolation
isolation
Modes of Isolation
1) Strict Isolation
Used to prevent the transmission of all highly
communicable disease that are spread by both contact and
airborne routes of transmission. Eg. Chickenpox , Rabies.
2) Respiratory Isolation
Used to prevent transmission of organisms by means of
droplets that are sneezed or breathed into the environment.
Eg. Influenza and tuberculosis.
3) Protective Isolation
Used to prevent contact between potentially pathogenic
micro- organisms and uninfected persons who have seriously
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impaired resistance.
Eg. Leukemia, who are on certain therapeutic regimens.
4) Enteric Isolation
➢ Used to control diseases that can be transmitted through direct or
indirect oral contact with infected feces or contaminated articles.
➢ Transmission of infection depends on ingestion of the pathogens .
Eg Hepatitis, Dysentery.
5) Wound and Skin Isolation
➢ Used to prevent the spread of micro - organisms found in infected
wounds (including burns and open sores) and heavily contaminated
articles.
➢ Diseases that required precautions include e.g. Herpes, Impetigo.
6) Blood Isolation
➢ Used to prevent acquisition of infection by patients and personnel
from contact with blood or items contaminated with blood .
➢ Eg Hepatitis B virus , H.I.V/ A.I.D.S 9
TYPES OF PRECAUTIONS
Types of Precautions
Universal / Transmission
Standard Based
Precautions Precautions
Contact Droplet Airborne
Precautions Precaution precaution
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Universal / standard precautions
➢ Follow standard precautions with all
patients
➢ When we are close to or handling
blood, bodily fluids, tissues, mucous
membrane or areas of open skin we
,must use personal protective
equipments (PPE).
➢ Depending on the anticipated exposure
types of PPE required include – gloves,
mask and goggles, aprons/gowns, shoe
covers.
➢ It is also important to properly clean up
after ward. 11
UNIVERSAL / STANDARD PRECAUTIONS
Hand hygiene – before & after patient contact.
Use of PPE – gloves, masks, gowns, eye protection.
Respiratory hygiene – cover coughs/sneezes, mask use.
Safe injection practices – single-use needles, sterile
technique.
Safe handling of equipment – cleaning, disinfection,
sterilization.
Environmental cleaning – regular disinfection of
surfaces.
Waste disposal – sharps and biomedical waste in proper
containers.
Patient care equipment – handle as contaminated, clean
before reuse.
Linen handling – avoid shaking, bag carefully.
Risk assessment – apply precautions depending on 12
exposure risk.
Transmission based precautions
➢ Transmission based precautions are followed in addition to
standard precautions
➢ Some infections required more than one type of transmission-
based precautions
➢ Patient should stay in their rooms as much as possible
➢ They may need to wear a mask when they leave their rooms
a) Air borne precautions-
- needed for germs present in environment
- prevent staff and visitors from infections
- needed in – Chickenpox, Measles & T.B. bacteria
- Airborne Infection Isolation Room – AIIR
- well fitted respirator mask (N-95) used
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b) Contact Precaution
➢ Spread by touching directly or by
objects related to the patient
➢ Whoever enter in room must wear
gloves and gown e.g Hepatitis
B, Conjunctivitis
c) Droplet Precaution
➢ Prevent contact from respiratory
secretions (nose, throat, lungs)
➢ Disease – Influenza, Pertussis
and Mumps
➢ Need to wear surgical mask
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Advantages of Isolation
➢ Prevents Spread of Infection
Reduces transmission of infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.) to other patients, visitors, and
healthcare staff.
➢ Protects Vulnerable Patients
Especially important for immunocompromised patients (e.g., chemotherapy, transplant, elderly) who
are at higher risk of infection.
➢ Protects Healthcare Workers
Minimizes occupational exposure to infectious diseases (e.g., TB, COVID-19, MRSA).
➢ Helps in Infection Control Programs
Essential part of hospital infection control strategies to reduce hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).
➢ Limits Outbreaks
Quick isolation of infected individuals helps contain outbreaks within healthcare settings and the
community.
➢ Improves Quality of Care
Provides a safer environment for both patients and staff by controlling cross-infection.
➢ Psychological Benefit for Other Patients
Reduces fear and anxiety among non-infected patients when they see infection risks being controlled.
➢ Supports Public Health Goals 16
Isolation aligns with global strategies to reduce antimicrobial resistance and disease transmission.
Disadvantages of Isolation
➢ Increased patients' dependency upon staff for support of needs.
➢ Risk to patients care through inappropriate restriction to
investigations & rehabilitation.
➢ Additional cost such as construction, equipment, staff & time.
➢ Staff stress especially in one-to-one nursing of isolated patients.
➢ Insufficient use of hospital space.
➢ Single rooms are expensive.
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➢ Under staff wards can lead to negative outcomes.
Isolation Ward in Hospital
➢ In hospitals and other medical facilities an Isolation Ward is a
separate ward used to isolate patients suffering from infectious
diseases.
➢ Several wards for individual patients are usually placed together in
an isolation unit.
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Isolation Room in Hospital
➢ Isolation rooms create barriers between people & germs.
➢ These type of isolations help to prevent the spread of germs in the
Hospitals.
➢ Anybody who visits in a Hospital patients who has Isolation sign
outside their door should stop at the nurse’ s station before entering the
patients' room.
➢ Concise information is placed on the door of isolation room at
eye level.
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Room Designing
I. Negative Pressure Room → Protects the community
from the patient (keeps infection inside).
Room pressure is lower than hallway → air flows into the
room
II. Positive Pressure Room → Protects the patient from
the community (keeps infection outside).
Room pressure is higher than hallway → air flows out of
the room
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DISEASE WISE PERIODS OF ISOLATION RECOMMENDED
Diseases Duration of Isolation
1) Chicken Pox الجدرى المائى Until all lesions crusted usually about
6 days onset of rash
2) Measles الحصبه From onset of catarrhal stage through
3rd day of rash
3) German Measles الحصبه األلمانية None, except that in the Ist trimester or
sexually actives, non – immune women
in child bearing years not using
contraceptive measures should not be
exposed.
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4)Cholera, Diphtheria 3 days after tetracycline
started , until 48 hours of
antibiotics ( for negative
cultures after treatment)
5) Hepatitis A 3 Weeks.
6) NIPAH VIRUS Isolation in separate unit ,use
PPE ,Hand washing before and
after handling patient
7) SWINE FLU (H1N1 Influenza Isolation of infected individuals ,
Virus) use high efficiency mask (N95
mask or triple layer surgical
mask), Hand hygiene, use PPE 22
and isolation- 3 days after onset.
8) Influenza 3 days after onset
9) Polio 2 weeks adults, 6 weeks pediatric .
10) Tuberculosis(sputum+) Until 3 weeks of effective
chemotherapy.
11) Herpes Zoster 6 days after onset of rash.
12) Mumps Until swelling subsides.
13) Pertussis 4 weeks or until paroxysms.
14) Meningitis Until the first 6 hours of effective
15) Streptococcal antibiotic therapy are completed.
16) Pharyngitis
17) Meningococcal 23
CONCLUSION
➢ Isolation precautions are considered an important public health
intervention. However, it may adversely affect the isolated
individual, higher costs and increased hospital readmissions .
➢ Isolation wards can play an important role for research and data
collection also.
➢ Motive of WHO (Health for all) can only be achieved by
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Isolation , precaution and preventive measures
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