Table 1 Hospital infection control practice when transferring patients requiring contact precautions [21]

Standard precautions

Standard precautions should be adhered to during patient transfer, including:

• Hand antisepsis

• Appropriate use of gloves and gowns

Hand antisepsis

Situations requiring hand antisepsis:

• Before and after patient care procedures

• Before and after direct patient contact

• Before donning gloves and after removing gloves

• After removing a gown

• After touching inanimate objects that are likely to be contaminated

Use of gloves

Gloves must be worn during contact precautions, and must be changed and discarded:

• After contact with a patient is complete and before care is provided to another

• patient

• Before touching environmental items and surfaces

• Before or on leaving a patient’s room

• Before writing in the medical notes, using the computer and moving or touching equipment

Use of gowns

Gowns must be worn on entering an isolation room during contact precautions, if contact with the patient or patient’s environment is likely, and removed before or immediately on exiting the room.