Requirements for isolation must be communicated to the resident, their representative/family, and all employees.

The following procedures should also be followed

Signs are to be placed outside the room

Alert those entering to check with healthcare workers before entering

Catering employees are not to enter the room; a healthcare employee must serve meals 

Volunteers should be excluded from entering

Visitors should be informed of any risks associated with visiting a resident in isolation. If visitors are permitted, instruction must be provided regarding hand hygiene and the use of PPE

Before Entering The Room

Before entering the room, remove all jewellery, and perform hand hygiene

Hand hygiene may consist of alcohol-based hand rub/sanitiser or washing hands

If contact, droplet, or airborne precautions are in place and/or there is a potential risk of contamination, then personal protective equipment is to be worn by all healthcare workers and any other persons, including visitors, who are permitted to enter the room

Adequate supplies of PPE should be available outside the room, and signage can be used to advise what PPE is to be worn

Before Leaving The Room

Remove all PPE except for masks to reduce the risk of transmission and contamination of the wearer and discard them in a waste receptacle

If a mask is required, this is to be removed after exiting the room and immediately disposed of in a waste receptacle outside the room

If there is a clinical handwash sink in the resident's room, hands may be washed in this sink, or an alcohol-based hand rub/sanitiser should be used when exiting the room

Sinks in resident bathrooms should not be used for clinical handwashing

Washing and Toileting

Sanitise bowls, bedpans, and urinals immediately after each use

If the resident does not have their own bathroom, isolate a shower and toilet for the exclusive use of the isolated resident

The shower must be cleaned thoroughly with neutral detergent and appropriate disinfectant (if required) after each use

If a designated bathroom cannot be allocated to the isolated resident, the resident should receive their shower with a thorough infectious 2-step clean immediately afterward -  designated bathrooms should be provided where possible

Weighing The Resident

Using stand-on scales

Strict adherence to standard precautions

Using sit-on scales

Cover the seat of the scales with a draw sheet (use a blue sheet as well if soiling is likely)

Discard the sheet into contaminated linen when the procedure is completed

Use neutral detergent diluted according to the manufacturer's instructions or appropriate disinfectant (if required) to decontaminate the scales after each use

Wash hands thoroughly when the procedure is completed

Cleaning and Decontamination

The risk of contamination, mode of transmission, and risk to others should be used to determine whether disinfectants are required for decontamination.

In an isolation room, surfaces that are soiled with blood or body fluids or the presence of multi-resistant organisms MRO/MDROs (including C. difficile), or other infectious agents requiring transmission-based precautions should be physically cleaned with a detergent solution, followed or combined with a TGA-registered disinfectant. Documentation should be available specifying the effectiveness of the disinfectant against specific infectious organisms.

The cleaning process must involve either

Physical cleaning using detergent followed by a chemical disinfectant (2-step clean), i.e., clean with detergent, then clean with a disinfectant

Physical cleaning using a detergent and chemical disinfectant (2-in-1 clean), i.e., a combined detergent/disinfectant wipe or solution, could be used if this process involves mechanical/manual cleaning

The 2-step and 2 -in-one cleaning process applies to both the use of solutions and wipes

Daily Maintenance and Cleaning

Adequate equipment supplies for each day must be ensured by the staff on the morning shift

Cleaning staff are to wear appropriate personal protective equipment when entering an isolation room

Yellow colour-coded mops, buckets, and cleaning cloths must be kept for the sole purpose of cleaning isolation rooms

Mop heads and cleaning cloths must be laundered and dried after each use

Refer to Cleaning Isolation/Infectious Rooms

Disposal of Waste and Items

All waste must be disposed of according to individual state and territory legislation.  Refer to Disposal of Clinical Waste.

Ensure PPE is worn when cleaning equipment and handling waste

Reusable items will require the relevant level of reprocessing (e.g., cleaning and disinfection or sterilisation)

Cutlery, Crockery, Jugs, and Glasses

No special treatment is required unless contaminated with blood or body substances. If so, standard precautions apply.

Pathology Specimens

Where transmission-based precautions are required, these must be adhered to when collecting pathology specimens.

Ensure correct PPE is worn during specimen collection

Specimens are to be placed into and transported in a biohazard bag

Make sure that the bag is sealed correctly after placing the specimen inside

Medical Appointments

Discuss any scheduled medical appointments with the treating Doctor.

Ambulance transport

It is a requirement of the ambulance service that they must be informed of the resident's infection status when a booking is made.