Major ArticleAdverse outcomes associated with contact precautions: A review of the literature
Section snippets
Methods
We required studies to use the CDC definition of CP: the use of gowns and gloves for all staff who have contact with the patient or patient's environment, as well as housing patients in a single room or a room shared with other patients on CP.12 The terms barrier restriction, source isolation, CP, and contact isolation were used synonymously. For all studies discussed in this review, patients were on CP because of MDROs.
In our literature review, a systematic search for studies or commentaries
Results
We found 15 articles evaluating adverse outcomes related to CP. One was rejected because of unclear indications for CP. Nine articles are described in greater detail because of standardized collection of data and inclusion of a control group.
Four main adverse outcomes related to CP were identified in this review. (1) CP are associated with less patient-health care worker (HCW) contact. (2) CP are associated with delays and more noninfectious adverse events. (3) CP are associated with increased
Conclusion
CP are typically employed to isolate a patient who is colonized or infected with any of a number of MDROs. This intervention has been a mainstay of infection control programs for many decades. However, being placed on CP during an acute care hospitalization has been associated with less HCW contact, more service care errors, decreased satisfaction with care, and higher rate of depression and anxiety. There is no definitive study of adverse outcomes associated with CP, and no studies have
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Cited by (0)
Supported by National Institutes of Health T32 AI07613 (to D.J.M.) and US Department of Veterans Affairs, Health Services Research, and Development Service grants RCD-02-026-2 and IIR-05-123-1 (to E.N.P.).
Conflicts of interest: No conflicts of interest to report.