Isolation precautions

[tina.student]

My question is how important is it to mandate isolation precations for babies and toddlers who are positive for RSV that are on a regular med-surg floor with other immunocomprimised patients. I have heard other nurses make the statement that RSV is already in the community and people may have already been exposed, so it is not that big of a concern. I wonder if anyone had read any research on this, and what the data says about isolation precautions and if they are used if there are less incidences of spread of RSV to other patients or staff.

[APBT mom, LPN, RN]

Are you talking about a toddler that's on an adult med/surg floor? I think that if any immunocompromised patients are in the care of someone who has an isolation patient then the isolation precautions should be done as long as it's not in an emerency situation for the person under the precautions (coding).

Personal experience with RSV. My niece and nephew who was a premie and received the vaccine for RSV last year (different mothers and ot in contact with each other) had it within two weeks of each other. While in the hospital they were both on droplet precautions and staff/visitors had to gown up. If you were seen walking in that room without it someone was hunting you down to put the isolation gear on. The mothers in both cases stayed with their children during the entire hospitalization and came down with the "flu". Pediatrician told them that it was RSV but not as severe since their immune system is stronger than the childs.

So if an immunocompromised person gets the "flu" with the respiratory problems that RSV has it could be the end of the immunocompromised patient. Plus if they test the patients for RSV and find out that the only reason the caught it was because someone wasn't doing isolation precautions that are supposed to be enforced that nurse/staff member may no longer have a job (NICU nurse in my area had a a bug bite that got infected with MRSA, gave it to 7 premies and 5 staff members and lost her job because she came to work without having treatment and didn't have it checked when it started seeping.)

[christiangirl]

just took the nclex and have been studying alot -- this is why i know -- according to saunders its standard precautions.