Barriers of Contact Isolation Precautions: Healthcare Professional’s Perceptions and Patient’s Experiences

Abstract

Title: Barriers of Contact Isolation Precautions: Healthcare Professional’s Perceptions and Patient’s Experiences

Prepared By: Samantha K. Barber, SN

Background: The main objective of this research review was to explore the lived experiences of patients under source contact isolation precautions and the perceptions and suggestions of healthcare workers interacting with patients under source isolation conditions. Patients and healthcare workers were interviewed over a period of time that allowed for the elaboration of personal feelings and perceptions to be articulated. The general consensus for both groups was deemed negative and the researchers were able to determine that one of the contributing factors was a lack of guiding knowledge in the form of an evidence based guideline or protocol.

Summary of Literature: The Oregon Health & Science University Healthcare guideline, transmission-based isolation precautions, explicitly details the information needed to maintain isolation status but does not detail how to assess or maintain patient emotional and psychological well-being, nor does it take into consideration the perceptions of healthcare professionals and their role in the treatment of patients under source isolation. The lack of guideline decreases both patient and staff satisfaction and allows for subjective treatment of the patient under source isolation.

Relationship to Nursing Practice: Implementation of suggestions and recommendations posed throughout the research, such as, communicating with isolated patients as one would with non-isolated patients, could improve the overall emotional well-being in patients. Also, identifying the biggest barriers associated with healthcare worker dissatisfaction, including but not limited to staff to patient ratio, and overcoming them would improve the ability of healthcare professionals to increase overall patient satisfaction. Future research is still needed to create an evidence based guideline or protocol that will encompass this area of interest and implementation of the findings will impact healthcare practice by improving the emotional and psychological well-being of both patients and healthcare professionals.