Isolation precautions

[Ratatosk]

When DS was hospitalized as a newborn, my MIL, who used to be an RN on a TB floor years ago commented on how the RTs went from isolette to isolette to do CPT on the babies -- holding them up against their scrubs to adminster CPT, used the same stethescope and only washed their hands, didn't gown up. Filed that away for future reference -- that an the community bottle of albuterols and saline vials they keep in their pockets of their scrubs. Ewww! Didn't know any better at the time.

DS hasn't been hospitalized recently; however, up until a few years ago they didn't have private rooms on the peds floor and I seem to recall speaking to a parent of an older teen with "interstitial lung disease" about how when she was an infant she caught RSV from her roommate and later on when she was hospitalized she loved helping to take care of the babies and toddlers, including another roommate who was 18 months old and had respiratory issues. So I'm a little "edgy" about our local hospital.

 

[Ratatosk]

When DS was hospitalized as a newborn, my MIL, who used to be an RN on a TB floor years ago commented on how the RTs went from isolette to isolette to do CPT on the babies -- holding them up against their scrubs to adminster CPT, used the same stethescope and only washed their hands, didn't gown up. Filed that away for future reference -- that an the community bottle of albuterols and saline vials they keep in their pockets of their scrubs. Ewww! Didn't know any better at the time.

DS hasn't been hospitalized recently; however, up until a few years ago they didn't have private rooms on the peds floor and I seem to recall speaking to a parent of an older teen with "interstitial lung disease" about how when she was an infant she caught RSV from her roommate and later on when she was hospitalized she loved helping to take care of the babies and toddlers, including another roommate who was 18 months old and had respiratory issues. So I'm a little "edgy" about our local hospital.

 

[Ratatosk]

When DS was hospitalized as a newborn, my MIL, who used to be an RN on a TB floor years ago commented on how the RTs went from isolette to isolette to do CPT on the babies -- holding them up against their scrubs to adminster CPT, used the same stethescope and only washed their hands, didn't gown up. Filed that away for future reference -- that an the community bottle of albuterols and saline vials they keep in their pockets of their scrubs. Ewww! Didn't know any better at the time.

DS hasn't been hospitalized recently; however, up until a few years ago they didn't have private rooms on the peds floor and I seem to recall speaking to a parent of an older teen with "interstitial lung disease" about how when she was an infant she caught RSV from her roommate and later on when she was hospitalized she loved helping to take care of the babies and toddlers, including another roommate who was 18 months old and had respiratory issues. So I'm a little "edgy" about our local hospital.

 

[Ratatosk]

When DS was hospitalized as a newborn, my MIL, who used to be an RN on a TB floor years ago commented on how the RTs went from isolette to isolette to do CPT on the babies -- holding them up against their scrubs to adminster CPT, used the same stethescope and only washed their hands, didn't gown up. Filed that away for future reference -- that an the community bottle of albuterols and saline vials they keep in their pockets of their scrubs. Ewww! Didn't know any better at the time.

DS hasn't been hospitalized recently; however, up until a few years ago they didn't have private rooms on the peds floor and I seem to recall speaking to a parent of an older teen with "interstitial lung disease" about how when she was an infant she caught RSV from her roommate and later on when she was hospitalized she loved helping to take care of the babies and toddlers, including another roommate who was 18 months old and had respiratory issues. So I'm a little "edgy" about our local hospital.

 

[Ratatosk]

When DS was hospitalized as a newborn, my MIL, who used to be an RN on a TB floor years ago commented on how the RTs went from isolette to isolette to do CPT on the babies -- holding them up against their scrubs to adminster CPT, used the same stethescope and only washed their hands, didn't gown up. Filed that away for future reference -- that an the community bottle of albuterols and saline vials they keep in their pockets of their scrubs. Ewww! Didn't know any better at the time.

DS hasn't been hospitalized recently; however, up until a few years ago they didn't have private rooms on the peds floor and I seem to recall speaking to a parent of an older teen with "interstitial lung disease" about how when she was an infant she caught RSV from her roommate and later on when she was hospitalized she loved helping to take care of the babies and toddlers, including another roommate who was 18 months old and had respiratory issues. So I'm a little "edgy" about our local hospital.

 

[CaliSally]

I wasn't put on isolation until one of my bugs showed some resistance.
I think it's better to error on the side of caution.
I never saw the big deal until I started getting sicker. They didn't want other patients catching a resistant bug. At least this is how the whole issue was explained to me.

I'm also required to wear a mask and gloves if I leave my room.
They don't want me going to the cafeteria, at all...but I don't adhere to that rule. I wear my mask and gloves, and if my hubby is there, I let him do the touching. Otherwise I will touch what I need to. Also, I don't use/touch their plasticware - I save it from my tray instead.

My hospital doesn't separate "breeds" of CF patients (i.e. cepacia)...although I think it would be a wise idea...even to separate those who have no resistance issues. But, I would guess that money is the hurdle on that.

I do know that they don't assign a nurse to both a cepacia and another CFer. One cepacia per nurse.

Our RT's have a lot to be desired though. Most of the regulars are good, but there are some real slackers. I do wish they would train the RT's better for CF patients, and that they would do what Amy (bittyhorse) said hers does - only one RT per CFer when possible. But again, I'm sure that's a money issue.

Our hospital has installed hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the hospital, and not just in the rooms...at the entrance, near the elevators etc, which I think is great.

Bottom line, at first I felt like a victim when put on isolation...but now I appreciate their potentally "over cautious" methods.

 

[CaliSally]

I wasn't put on isolation until one of my bugs showed some resistance.
I think it's better to error on the side of caution.
I never saw the big deal until I started getting sicker. They didn't want other patients catching a resistant bug. At least this is how the whole issue was explained to me.

I'm also required to wear a mask and gloves if I leave my room.
They don't want me going to the cafeteria, at all...but I don't adhere to that rule. I wear my mask and gloves, and if my hubby is there, I let him do the touching. Otherwise I will touch what I need to. Also, I don't use/touch their plasticware - I save it from my tray instead.

My hospital doesn't separate "breeds" of CF patients (i.e. cepacia)...although I think it would be a wise idea...even to separate those who have no resistance issues. But, I would guess that money is the hurdle on that.

I do know that they don't assign a nurse to both a cepacia and another CFer. One cepacia per nurse.

Our RT's have a lot to be desired though. Most of the regulars are good, but there are some real slackers. I do wish they would train the RT's better for CF patients, and that they would do what Amy (bittyhorse) said hers does - only one RT per CFer when possible. But again, I'm sure that's a money issue.

Our hospital has installed hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the hospital, and not just in the rooms...at the entrance, near the elevators etc, which I think is great.

Bottom line, at first I felt like a victim when put on isolation...but now I appreciate their potentally "over cautious" methods.

 

[CaliSally]

I wasn't put on isolation until one of my bugs showed some resistance.
I think it's better to error on the side of caution.
I never saw the big deal until I started getting sicker. They didn't want other patients catching a resistant bug. At least this is how the whole issue was explained to me.

I'm also required to wear a mask and gloves if I leave my room.
They don't want me going to the cafeteria, at all...but I don't adhere to that rule. I wear my mask and gloves, and if my hubby is there, I let him do the touching. Otherwise I will touch what I need to. Also, I don't use/touch their plasticware - I save it from my tray instead.

My hospital doesn't separate "breeds" of CF patients (i.e. cepacia)...although I think it would be a wise idea...even to separate those who have no resistance issues. But, I would guess that money is the hurdle on that.

I do know that they don't assign a nurse to both a cepacia and another CFer. One cepacia per nurse.

Our RT's have a lot to be desired though. Most of the regulars are good, but there are some real slackers. I do wish they would train the RT's better for CF patients, and that they would do what Amy (bittyhorse) said hers does - only one RT per CFer when possible. But again, I'm sure that's a money issue.

Our hospital has installed hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the hospital, and not just in the rooms...at the entrance, near the elevators etc, which I think is great.

Bottom line, at first I felt like a victim when put on isolation...but now I appreciate their potentally "over cautious" methods.

 

[CaliSally]

I wasn't put on isolation until one of my bugs showed some resistance.
I think it's better to error on the side of caution.
I never saw the big deal until I started getting sicker. They didn't want other patients catching a resistant bug. At least this is how the whole issue was explained to me.

I'm also required to wear a mask and gloves if I leave my room.
They don't want me going to the cafeteria, at all...but I don't adhere to that rule. I wear my mask and gloves, and if my hubby is there, I let him do the touching. Otherwise I will touch what I need to. Also, I don't use/touch their plasticware - I save it from my tray instead.

My hospital doesn't separate "breeds" of CF patients (i.e. cepacia)...although I think it would be a wise idea...even to separate those who have no resistance issues. But, I would guess that money is the hurdle on that.

I do know that they don't assign a nurse to both a cepacia and another CFer. One cepacia per nurse.

Our RT's have a lot to be desired though. Most of the regulars are good, but there are some real slackers. I do wish they would train the RT's better for CF patients, and that they would do what Amy (bittyhorse) said hers does - only one RT per CFer when possible. But again, I'm sure that's a money issue.

Our hospital has installed hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the hospital, and not just in the rooms...at the entrance, near the elevators etc, which I think is great.

Bottom line, at first I felt like a victim when put on isolation...but now I appreciate their potentally "over cautious" methods.

 

[CaliSally]

I wasn't put on isolation until one of my bugs showed some resistance.
I think it's better to error on the side of caution.
I never saw the big deal until I started getting sicker. They didn't want other patients catching a resistant bug. At least this is how the whole issue was explained to me.

I'm also required to wear a mask and gloves if I leave my room.
They don't want me going to the cafeteria, at all...but I don't adhere to that rule. I wear my mask and gloves, and if my hubby is there, I let him do the touching. Otherwise I will touch what I need to. Also, I don't use/touch their plasticware - I save it from my tray instead.

My hospital doesn't separate "breeds" of CF patients (i.e. cepacia)...although I think it would be a wise idea...even to separate those who have no resistance issues. But, I would guess that money is the hurdle on that.

I do know that they don't assign a nurse to both a cepacia and another CFer. One cepacia per nurse.

Our RT's have a lot to be desired though. Most of the regulars are good, but there are some real slackers. I do wish they would train the RT's better for CF patients, and that they would do what Amy (bittyhorse) said hers does - only one RT per CFer when possible. But again, I'm sure that's a money issue.

Our hospital has installed hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the hospital, and not just in the rooms...at the entrance, near the elevators etc, which I think is great.

Bottom line, at first I felt like a victim when put on isolation...but now I appreciate their potentally "over cautious" methods.