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4.13 Source isolation: entering an isolation room

Essential equipment

  • Personal protective equipment as dictated by the precautions required: gloves and apron are the usual minimum; a respirator is required for droplet precautions; eye protection is required if an aerosol‐generating procedure is planned
  • Any equipment required for any procedure intended to be carried out in the room

Pre‐procedure

ActionRationale

  1. 1.
    Decontaminate hands and collect all equipment needed.
    To avoid entering and leaving the area unnecessarily. E

Procedure

  1. 2.
    Ensure you are ‘bare below the elbow’ (see Procedure guideline 4.1: Hand washing).
    To facilitate hand hygiene and avoid any contamination of long sleeves or cuffs, as this could cause cross‐contamination to other patients. E
  2. 3.
    Put on a disposable plastic apron.
    To protect the front of the uniform or clothing, which is the area most likely to come into contact with the patient. E
  3. 4.
    Put on a well‐fitting mask or respirator of the appropriate standard if droplet or airborne precautions are required, for example if the patient has:
    • meningococcal meningitis and has not completed 24 hours of treatment
    • pandemic influenza
    • tuberculosis, if carrying out an aerosol‐generating procedure or the tuberculosis may be multiresistant.
    To reduce the risk of inhaling organisms (DH [23], C; HSE [60], [61], C).
  4. 5.
    Don eye protection if instructed by the infection prevention and control team (e.g. for pandemic influenza) or if conducting an aerosol‐generating procedure (e.g. bronchoscopy or intubation) in a patient requiring airborne or droplet precautions.
    To prevent infection via the conjunctiva (DH [23], C).
  5. 6.
    Clean hands with soap and water or an alcohol‐based handrub.
    Hands must be cleaned before patient contact (WHO [124], C).
  6. 7.
    Don disposable gloves if you are intending to deal with blood, excreta or contaminated material, or if providing close personal care where contact precautions are required. Gloves may need to be changed while in the room as per ‘My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene’ (WHO [124]).
    To reduce the risk of hand contamination (NHS England and NHSI [82], C).
  7. 8.
    Enter the room, shutting the door behind you.
    To reduce the risk of airborne organisms leaving the room (Kao and Yang [68], R).
    To preserve the patient's privacy and dignity. E
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