by C. Lyn Walter

Created on: November 17, 2009   Last Updated: November 19, 2009

Assessing Methods used in Hospitals to Isolate Flu Patients for Infection Control

Assessing methods used in hospitals to isolate patients with suspected or diagnosed cases of H1N1 and seasonal influenza is best explained by reviewing evidence-based isolation guidelines. These precautions have been scientifically researched, developed, recommended, and in use for respiratory isolation of seasonal influenza patients. A comparison will be made to the isolation guidelines recently mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC). OSHA is an agency of the Federal Government under the Department of Labor and is concerned with setting standards for employee safety in the workplace. The (CDC) is an agency of the Federal Government under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is concerned with public health, safety and the prevention and control of disease.

Isolation guidelines are based on Standard Precautions which are used by health care workers fin contact with all patients at all times. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) consists of protective devises used along with precautions. They include surgical masks, gloves, gowns and in some cases goggles and respirators.

Since one cannot be sure who may be infected with an occult blood borne pathogen such as Hepatitis B, C, HIV or Aids, Standard Precautions are the standardized approach used in healthcare to limit contact with a patient's blood or body fluids. If it is reasonably expected that a healthcare worker will come in contact with blood or body fluids, gloves are used as a barrier and gowns are used if a treatment or condition could generate contamination of the environment or the healthcare worker. PPE provides a barrier between infectious materials, healthcare workers, and patients.

Hand washing, the use of gloves when handling blood or body fluids, the safe handling of sharps, decontamination of contaminated equipment, and environmental cleaning of infective spills are also components of Standard Precautions.

Depending on the route of transmission, Transmission Based Precautions are used when caring for patients exhibiting overt signs and symptoms of infection. These three precautions are an added layer of protection for healthcare workers caring for patients with transmissible diseases.

Airborne Precautions are used when there is suspicion or diagnosis of infections that travel via the airborne route, such as Tuberculosis,

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