Parents in a Pediatric Isolation Room

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What is your policy regarding the dressing requirments for the parents of pediatric patients in isolation? Do you require that the parents wear masks all day long when staying in the room with their children? The N95 masks now required for r/o H1N1are unbearable if worn for an entire day, and we are wondering how others are dealing with this. Thanks!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

We've been told that because parents aren't fit tested we aren't to offer them N95s. They are expected to wear surgical masks, gowns and gloves while in the room and to follow routine hand hygiene practices when the arrive and depart. A lot of parents have trouble remembering they need to take the stuff off in the room and the order, and they don't like tying the gowns even at the neck, so the gowns are constantly falling off their shoulders. And some are quite annoyed and sya things like, "I've been taking care of him at home for days. I probably already caught it so why do I have to do this?" They have trouble getting that we're trying to prevent them from taking any bugs out of the room and spreading them around.

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We dont require them to wear anything. It is suggested, the supplies are available. We just stress good hand hygeine and it is a good idea to limit visitors.

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