Isolation

As we are heading into our RSV season, I am interested in knowing what others are having parents who are staying with their child do. Are they required to gown, glove,and mask at all times? Our policy says they do, our peds think this is slightly unreasonable. How do you practice? Thanks:rolleyes:

I have recently moved to a different children's ward having recently qualified as a children's nurse in the UK. In my new unit they no longer do an NPA to test for RSV, the kids are just "suspected bronchiolitis". Apparently the RSV test is no longer evidence based practice, although I have not yet had chance to find out the ins and outs of this practice.

When cubicles are full, as is often the case during our brochi season, it is sometimes necessary to nurse all the brochs together on the open ward, and use the cublicles for the non-brochi kids. However, if the RSV test is not done we do not know for sure who has, and who has not got it. No-one seems to have an answer for me when I ask what we would do should the need arise for the babies to be nursed on the open ward.

With regards to isolation, all our babies are nursed in isolation cubicles, however neither the staff nor family are required to wear aprons, gloves or masks, just to ensure we wash our hands thouroughly between patient contact.