Isolation Precautions
SafetyThe steps
- STANDARD: hand hygiene + gloves for body fluids — every patient, every time
- CONTACT (MRSA, C. diff, VRE, scabies): gown + gloves; dedicated equipment. C. diff = SOAP AND WATER hands (alcohol doesn't kill spores) and bleach cleaning
- DROPLET (flu, pertussis, meningococcus, mumps): surgical mask within 6–10 ft; patient masks for transport
- AIRBORNE (TB, measles, varicella, disseminated zoster): N95 (fit-tested) + negative-pressure room; door closed
- Don: gown → mask → eye protection → gloves. Doff: gloves → eye → gown → mask, hand hygiene between steps per policy
🛡 Never skip
The doffing sequence is where self-contamination happens — slow down at the door Covid-era habit check: the N95 is for AIRBORNE organisms; a surgical mask does not protect you in a TB room
Common mistakes
- Alcohol gel after a C. diff room (spores laugh at it) — soap and water, 20 seconds
- Wearing the isolation gown into the hallway 'just for a second'
- Forgetting the patient wears a mask for transport, not you alone
Source: CDC Isolation Precautions Guideline; Lippincott Nursing Procedures, 9th ed.Reference only — verify against your facility's policy.
