Isolation precautions question. Pls help! NCLEX this week

gibbbygibson, BSN, RN · Mar 27, 2017

Hi

It may be helpful to remember that the topic in question is the organism/mode of transmission. So regardless of the patient's age, the organism/mode of transmission is still the same.

Here is a quick review--note that nothing is said about the patient type/size/age. Precautions are implemented based on the organism and how the disease is transmitted to others:

Airborne precautions may be needed for germs that are so small they can float in the air and travel long distances.

Airborne precautions help keep staff, visitors, and other people from breathing in these germs and getting sick.
Germs that warrant airborne precautions include chickenpox, measles, and tuberculosis (TB) bacteria.
People who have these germs should be in special rooms where the air is gently sucked out and not allowed to flow into the hallway. This is called a negative pressure room.
Anyone who goes into the room should put on a well-fitted respirator mask before they enter.

Contact precautions may be needed for germs that are spread by touching.

Contact precautions help keep staff and visitors from spreading the germs after touching a person or an object the person has touched.
Some of the germs that contact precautions protect from are C. difficile and norovirus. These germs can cause serious infection in the intestines.
Anyone entering the room who may touch the person or objects in the room should wear a gown and gloves.

Droplet precautions are used to prevent contact with mucus and other secretions from the nose and sinuses, throat, airways, and lungs.

When a person talks, sneezes, or coughs, droplets that contain germs can travel about 3 feet (90 centimeters).
Illnesses that require droplet precautions include influenza (flu), pertussis (whooping cough), and mumps.
Anyone who goes into the room should wear a surgical mask.