NCLEX Review Guide: Infection Control & Safety - Isolation Procedures

Universal Application

• Standard precautions are applied to ALL patients regardless of diagnosis or infection status, treating all body fluids (except sweat) as potentially infectious.
• Hand hygiene is the single most important intervention to prevent healthcare-associated infections and must be performed before and after every patient contact.

Contact Precautions

• Used for infections spread by direct contact with patient or contaminated surfaces, requiring private room and dedicated equipment.
• MRSA, VRE, C. difficile are classic examples requiring gown and gloves for all patient interactions.

Droplet Precautions

• Applied when pathogens spread through large respiratory droplets (>5 microns) that travel less than 3 feet from patient.
• Surgical mask required within 3 feet of patient; private room preferred but patients with same infection can cohort.

Airborne Precautions

• Airborne transmission involves small particles (<5 microns) that remain suspended and travel long distances through air currents.
• Requires negative pressure room with HEPA filtration and N95 respirator or higher level of respiratory protection.

Donning PPE

1. Perform hand hygiene first
2. Apply gown, tie at neck and waist
3. Apply mask or respirator, secure straps
4. Apply eye protection if needed
5. Apply gloves, extend over gown cuffs

Doffing PPE

1. Remove gloves first (most contaminated)
2. Remove gown, rolling inside out
3. Perform hand hygiene
4. Remove eye protection from behind
5. Remove mask by back straps only
6. Final hand hygiene