Transmission-based precautions are additional measures taken in healthcare settings to limit the spread of communicable diseases. Three types of precautions are available for contact, droplet, and airborne transmission. Patients may be isolated, and healthcare workers should wear protective gear and use dedicated tools. Some patients may need to be placed in isolation units.
Transmission-based precautions are special measures taken in a healthcare setting when a patient has or may have a communicable disease. These are applied in addition to the standard precautions used with all patients to limit the spread of the disease. In the event that healthcare professionals deem transmission-based precautions necessary, this can be noted on the patient record and other places to ensure that all personnel interacting with the patient are aware of the problem. Each facility has its own protocols, but they are often similar because they are based on universal recommendations.
Three sets of precautions are available to deal with different infectious agents including contact, droplet and air. Contact precautions can be used when direct contact with a patient can spread disease, such as when patients have severe diarrhea caused by bacterial infections. If a condition can be transmitted by droplets in secretions such as sneezes, without direct contact, the next level is needed. Some pathogens can spread through the air, traveling easily through a facility, and these require precautions to protect other patients and caregivers.
In the case of precautions based on contact transmission, the patient may be kept in a private room or with a patient who has a similar diagnosis. Healthcare workers should wear gloves and use dedicated tools that can be sterilized or discarded after discharge. The patient should avoid leaving the room unless a specific procedure is required. Persons who come into contact should wash their hands afterwards.
Patients requiring precautions based on droplet transmission require extra care. They must be isolated in private rooms, with the precautions listed above. Additionally, healthcare professionals should wear masks around the patient and ask the patient to wear a mask if they need to leave the room. Secretions should be handled with wipes or tissues which can be placed in a biohazard bag. Visitors may be more restricted and should also observe broadcast-based precautions.
Airborne precautions require isolation in a room with a pressurized airflow to keep the air inside the room from escaping. Masks, gowns and gloves are worn around the patient and in the event of a critical procedure where the patient has to leave the room, adequate protection should be provided. These precautions, in addition to the normal basic precautions used with all patients, can radically reduce the risk of spreading the disease.
Some pathogens are so serious that patients may need to be placed in isolation units. Infection controls in such units are extremely strict and may not allow visitors access. These measures are used when patients have infections known to be extremely lethal and aggressive.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
