Infection Control Manual-Contact Precautions, Visitor Information

Contact Precautions
	Introduction
	Diseases Requiring Contact Precautions
	Specifications
	Initiation
	Documentation
	Patient Transport
	Visitor Instructions
	Waste Removal
	Discontinuation of Contact Precaution
	Modifications to Contact Precautions
	IC Policies MRSA VRE RSV

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Yale New Haven Hospital
QISS
GB 325
New Haven, CT
06504 USA

Dr. Jeff Topal
688-4634


Contact Precautions Visitor Instructions

The nursing staff should provide instruction to visitors before they enter the rooms of patients on Contact Precautions.

	Explain why the patient has been placed on Contact Precautions. Encourage the visitors to express their questions or concerns about the isolation procedures.
	Visitors must be questioned before they enter the rooms of patients with Varicella/Herpes Zoster regarding their history of immunity to chickenpox. If the visitors are susceptible, they should not enter the isolation room.

Report any instances where patients or their visitors are noncompliant with isolation precautions and other infection control measures for investigation and followup to:

	Hospital Epidemiology (8-4634)
	the Office of Risk Management/Medicolegal Affairs (8-2290)

Instruct visitors in the need for handwashing before and after patient contact. Before entering the room, visitors should be instructed in the use of gloves and gowns. Monitor the compliance of visitors with glove and gown use. Remind visitors that gloves and gowns must be discarded before exiting the room.

A child may be permitted to visit the patient if the child:

	Is not at risk to contract the disease (i.e., immune to the disease).
	Is not ill or has not been recently exposed to a communicable disease.
	Is able to understand and comply with isolation procedures.

Last modified: December 20, 2000.