Airborne vs. Droplet Precautions

begalli · Feb 16, 2005

TB is transmitted through airborne droplets. A special mask is worn usually an N95. These patients are in respiratory isolation and should be in a negative airflow room with the door shut.

Rubella needs gown (rash) and mask as it can be transmitted both through contact and airborne droplets. Contact and respiratory isolation (I think).

I always wear goggles if there is a splash risk for anything. But I don't think you necessarily need to wear goggles if you are just in the room giving rountine care.

50 Cent · Feb 17, 2005

rubella is droplet. tb is airborne.

jaimealmostRN · Feb 17, 2005

Thank you. I'm studying for NCLEX and I only have those texts with me and am sooo confused. This helps a lot. Thanks again. :)

begalli · Feb 17, 2005

Sorry if I managed to confuse things. I'm under the impression that airborne "droplets" is what makes something aquirable via the air.

I'll be quiet now. :imbar

KRVRN, BSN, RN · Feb 17, 2005

When removing PPE, you are supposed to remove gloves first and then wash your hands. After that, you put on clean gloves to remove the rest. I don't know the official sequence after that, but I would think that the mask/eye coverings would be next, with the gown last. Then wash your hands again.

Another thing to remember (for testing purposes) is that you don't necessarily need gloves or gown for airborne (not sure about droplet...) precautions unless it would be otherwise warranted per universal precautions.

missrn2u · Apr 2, 2006

when removing PPE you remove the gown with the gloves next, wrapped inside the gown and the gown inside out. Finally you remove the eyewear, with a new set of gloves if they are contaminated.

TB is airborne, although when I was in nursing school we were taught it was large droplet. I would refer to the CDC website if you want the most up to date information on infectious disease. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/gl_isolation_airborne.html

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Apr 2, 2006

begalli said:
Sorry if I managed to confuse things. I'm under the impression that airborne "droplets" is what makes something aquirable via the air.
I'll be quiet now. :imbar

Droplets are too big to just waft through the air. They'll shoot from the nose and mouth, yeah, but then they land on the patient.

I would certainly wear all of the PPE when dealing with a TB patient. So I'm leaning over and he coughs in my face. Doesn't matter then that it's droplet and not airnorne.

?

RedSox33RN · Apr 2, 2006

Droplets are too big to just waft through the air. They'll shoot from the nose and mouth, yeah, but then they land on the patient.

That is what we are taught - that droplets land within 3 feet of the pt nose and mouth. Airborne will carry much further.

sweetjellies1 · May 10, 2010

what precaution is german measels:uhoh3:? why is it so hard to remember these? wht bout pediculosis? i would think it is contact precaution? i dont know:sniff:. pl help.

LouisVRN, RN · May 10, 2010

Lice is contact only.

I don't know about the order to correctly remove PPE, I always double glove in any kind of contact room, remove gloves, remove gown with second set of gloves, then faceshield, mask.

brownbook · May 11, 2010

I am a bear of little brain! I don't even attempt to memorize or guess any precautions. Any medical/nursing facility should have an infection control manual. Plus there should be a lot of copies, even laminated ones, of the precautions and which disease they are for, these can then be posted on the patients door. As for answering questions on NCLEX, yikes, good luck!