conjunctivitis in Long term care

[slgeerd]

I work in long term. We frequently see Residents with red itchy eyes. The staff immediately "diagnosis" "pink eye" Doctors often order ATB eye drops via fax, never having seen the resident and without a culture being done. Some of the nurses want these resident placed in contact isolation. Assuming (and I know we never assume in nursing ;0) that universal /standard precautions are being used, do you isolate Residents in long term care facility when they are being treated with ATB eye drops with s/s of red itchy eyes, scant yellow drainage and no culture indicating a MDRO?

[ClearBlueOctoberSky]

No Isolation. Educate all staff on good hand hygiene, have housekeeping do thorough cleaning of hand rails, door knobs and door jambs, and change out any eye meds that resident is taking.

You wouldn't culture an eye infection, either. It's a waste of time and money.

Also educate your staff not to use the term "Pink Eye". It's conjunctivitis.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Where I work as well as doing the same as above we also do a small wash of baby shampoo diluted with water and use that 3 times a day approx for a few days and that usually does the job

[ClearBlueOctoberSky]

Hey! Thanks for the tip Silverdragon. I'll suggest that next time.

It just seems, like with every thing, conjunctivitis runs through seasonal courses. The main thing is to contain it and let it run it's course, like with kiddos.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis is more common than bacterial conjunctivitis. Viral conjunctivitis is more contagious than bacterial.

My dad used to get chronic conjunctivitis sometimes allergic, sometimes bacterial. One of his clients, an experienced LTC nurse, suggested using Johnson's baby wash with warm water on a washcloth using proper technique ( inner to outer canthus, different area of clean cloth for each swipe ) TID. Easy nursing intervention that made more difference than any eye drop ever did. When he became ill the nurses were kind enough to let us try this with much success.