Isolation system
Presented by
Ms. Babita bisht
Nursing tutor
DEFINITION
Isolation is the separation of a patient from a
contact with others in order to control the
spread of infectious disease.
NEEDS OF ISOLATION
Isolation aimed at controlling and preventing
spread of infection
Isolation precautions are designed to
minimize the transmission of infection in the
hospital by using updated and skilled
technology
Isolation helps to protect patients, family
members, visitors and health care workers
from the spread of infection.
TYPES OF ISOLATION
1. High security isolation units – these are
usually part of an infectious diseases hospital.
Total environmental control is usually achieved by
the use of negative pressure plastic isolators.
2. Infectious diseases hospitals – these units are
usually separate from other hospitals but may be
situated in the grounds of a general hospital with
separate ventilation and nursing staff.
3. General hospital isolation units – these provide
source isolation facilities for hospital-acquired
infections
they also provide facilities for protective isolation
and for the screening of patients with suspected
infections before admission to a general ward or
transfer to a communicable diseases unit.
4. Single rooms of a general ward – these provide
less secure source isolation than the above because
of the close proximity with other patients and sharing
of nursing and domestic staff with a general ward.
5. Barrier nursing in open ward – this can be
effective in controlling infections transferred by
contact but not by air.
6. Isolators in open wards – plastic enclosures for
individual patients have been shown to be of value as
a form of protective isolation for high risk patients
and of source isolation for infected patients.
7. Ultra-clean wards – experimental units have been
set up in special centers for organ transplantation,
treatment of leukemia and other diseases associated
with extreme susceptibility to infection.
Types of isolation system
1. Strict Isolation –
this is designed to prevent transmission of highly
contagious or virulent infections that may be
spread by air or contact.
This is recommended for chickenpox as well as for
viral hemorrhagic fevers.
A private room is required and gowns, masks, and
gloves must be worn before entry.
Hands must be washed after leaving the room and
contaminated articles should be discarded or
bagged and labeled before being sent for
decontamination and reprocessing.
2. Contact Isolation –
this is designed to prevent transmission of highly
transmissible or epidemiologically important infections
that do not warrant strict isolation.
All diseases included in this category are spread
primarily by close or direct contact such as scabies,
respiratory infection.
Private room is indicated although patients infected
with the same organism may share a room.
Masks are indicated for those who come close to the
patient. Gowns are indicated if soiling is likely.
Gloves are indicated for touching infective material.
Hands must be washed after touching the patient or
potentially contaminated articles and before taking
care of another patient
3. Respiratory Isolation –
this is designed to prevent transmission of infectious
diseases over short distances through the air.
Direct and indirect contact transmission may occur
but is infrequent.
Diseases requiring respiratory isolation include
measles, mumps, and rubella.
Private room is indicated although patients infected
with the same organism may share a room.
Masks are indicated for those who come in close
contact with the patient. Gowns and gloves are not
indicated.
Hands must be washed after touching the patient or
contaminated articles, and contaminated articles
should be discarded or bagged and labeled.
4. Enteric Precautions –
enteric precautions are designed to prevent
infections transmitted by direct or indirect contact
with feces.
Major diseases include hepatitis A, and
enteroviruses are included in this category.
A private room is indicated if patient hygiene is
poor and thus at risk of contaminating others.
Masks are not indicated. Gowns are indicated if
soiling is likely.
Gloves should be used for touching infective
material.
Hands must be washed after touching the patient
or contaminated articles, and contaminated articles
should be discarded or bagged and labeled.
5. Blood/body fluid precautions –
blood/body fluid precautions are designed to prevent
infections that are transmitted by contact with blood or
other body fluids such as HIV and HBV.
A private room is indicated if patient hygiene is poor
because of the higher risk to others.
Masks are not indicated. Gowns are only indicated if soiling
is likely, but gloves should be worn.
Hands must be washed after touching the patient or
contaminated articles, and contaminated articles should be
discarded or bagged and labeled.
Care should be taken to avoid needle-stick injuries.
Used needles should not be recapped or bent; they should
be placed in a prominently labeled, puncture-resistant
container designated specifically for such disposal.
Blood spills should be cleaned up promptly with
hypochlorite.
6. Drainage/Secretion Precautions –
these are designed to prevent infections that
are transmitted by direct or indirect contact
with purulent material or drainage from an
infected body site.
A private room is not indicated.
Gowns are only indicated if soiling is likely.
Masks are not indicated but gloves should be
worn.
Hands must be washed after touching the
patient or contaminated articles, and
contaminated articles should be discarded or
bagged and labeled.