Interesting to read everyones replies. I work on a stem cell transplant unit and I guess because we've been doing them longer than anyone else in the country we aren't quite as severe. It may also be that because we treat all the pt's the same and can enforce rules for the entire unit. Large floor signs warn that noone can enter if ill. For example everyone must sign in as they enter the floor - visitors, dietary, families, doc, nurses, etc - what they are attesting to is that that have no s/s of the flu. They and we as staff are not allowed to come to work if we have a fever or cannot control our symptoms (runny nose, cough).
Our dietary dept treats the food our pts get differntly than the rest of the hosptial. They wash fruits and veggies and to be honest I don't know exactly how they do this, but as result they can have it - salads come up wrapped as does fruit( in saran wrap). There are alot of things they cannot have such as sprouts.
We change our water pitchers daily for everyone. If someone wants ice we don't take the pitcher into the nourishment room, we fill a plastic bag with ice and bring it into the room. Only staff is allowed in the nourishment room.
Our pts don't wear masks unless they have have s/s of cold. At which point they go into droplet isolation (masks with shield gown gloves) for people entering room, we sent a npt to test for flu. They are in isolation for 5 days until the results come back.
Contact isolation is used for cdiff, VRE, MRSA.
We start folks on levo or ceftazidime when their counts drop below 500. At the first neutropenic fever (38.3) we do cultures of their hickmans, urine and chest xray - the antibiotic is then changed - not to vanco first thing - usually to something like imipenum.
Our entire unit has a policy of no flowers, plants, fake flowers with moss etc. This policy is something they are aware of before they are admitted.
Kids of all ages are allowed but they will get htier little hands washed and even be put in a gown ( they kinda love this !) - they don't last long in the room but it better than cutting off the pt. Alcohol based cleaner with moisturizer is very popular with the group as well.
