Practice Environment

What to Wear
• A well-fitting procedure mask or surgical face mask, particularly during periods of increased respiratory infection activity in the community.
• Other personal protective equipment (PPE) depending on the task and risk.
What to Do
Clean your hands before and after each patient encounter.
PPE to prevent transmission if exposure to infectious material is possible, such as:
• Gloves for contact with blood, body fluids, secretions and excretions, mucous membranes, nonintact skin, contaminated items or surfaces.
• Appropriate masks and protective eyewear or face shields for procedures likely to generate droplets of blood or body fluids or risk of splashes.
• Fluid-impermeable gowns or aprons for procedures likely to generate splashes of blood or other body fluids.
Safe injection practices and handling of sharps.
Properly clean and disinfect or sterilize reusable equipment before use on another patient.

Contact Precautions

When to Use
When an illness can be spread by contact, for instance, by the infected patient’s skin, body fluids, or contaminated objects. Common pediatric illnesses requiring Contact Precautions include respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and acute diarrhea.
What to Wear
• Gloves and a gown.
• Put on PPE before entering the room.
• Discard PPE before exiting the room.
 
What to Do
• Hand hygiene before and after each patient encounter.
• Use disposable or dedicated patient care equipment.
• Prioritize cleaning and disinfecting the room, especially high-touch surfaces.
• Limit transport or movement of patients outside of room unless medically necessary.
Patient and Family
• Encourage patient and family to perform hand hygiene using soap/water or hand sanitizer throughout the visit, especially when:
  • When hands are visibly soiled or sticky
  • After using the bathroom and/or changing a diaper
  • Before and after eating
  • After playing with community/shared toys
• Encourage patient and family to adhere to PPE practices in accordance to the facility being visited.

Droplet Precautions

When to Use
For illnesses where transmission occurs through close respiratory or mucous membrane contact with respiratory secretions. These pathogens do not remain infectious over long distances or long periods of time. Common pediatric illnesses requiring Droplet Precautions include respiratory illnesses such as influenza, rhinovirus and adenovirus.
What to Wear
• Wear a mask and consider eye protection in the patient room or space.
What to Do
• Hand hygiene before and after each patient encounter.
• Limit transport or movement of patients outside of room unless medically necessary.
Patient and Family
• Ensure that the patient (if possible) and family are wearing well-fitting masks for source control.

Airborne Precautions

When to Use
For illnesses where infectious agents remain infectious over long distances when suspended in the air or over long periods of time. Common pediatric illnesses requiring Airborne Precautions include measles and chicken pox.
What to Wear
• A fit-tested NIOSH-approved N95 or higher-level respirator.
What to Do
• Hand hygiene before and after each patient encounter.
• Place patient in an airborne infection isolation room (AIIR). If one is not available, place the patient in a private room with the door closed until they can be transferred to an AIIR, or they are transferred to a different facility.
• Limit transport or movement of patients outside of room unless medically necessary.
Patient and Family
• Ensure that the patient and family are wearing well-fitting masks.
• Patients’ skin lesions should be covered when possible.