Barrier Precautions

Definition

Barrier precautions, more commonly termed personal protective equipment (PPE), are physical barriers, such as gloves, gowns, masks, eye protection. Used to prevent transmission of infectious agents from patient to caregiver and vice versa.

CDC Precaution Categories

• Standard Precautions: Applied to all patients, such as hand hygiene, gloves when touching body fluids, mask/eye shield if splash anticipated.
• Contact Precautions: MRSA, VRE, C. difficile, scabies. Gown and gloves; private room preferred.
• Droplet Precautions: Influenza, pertussis, meningococcus. Surgical mask within 3 to 6 feet.
• Airborne Precautions: TB, measles, varicella, such as n95 respirator, negative-pressure room.

Donning and Doffing Sequence

Don: Gown → Mask/Respirator → Goggles → Gloves. Doff: Gloves → Goggles → Gown → Mask (most contaminated first). Perform hand hygiene before donning, after doffing, and between steps as indicated.

Nursing Considerations

Know the precautions required for each disease. C. difficile requires soap-and-water hand hygiene (alcohol does not kill spores). Avoid transporting patients on airborne precautions without mask.

NCLEX Relevance

High-yield for infection control. Mnemonic 'MRS WEE' for airborne: Measles, Rubeola, SARS, Water (varicella), Encephalitis, Etcetera.