Studying isolation precautions (also called transmission-based precautions) and need help trying to remember all the diseases that are included in each precaution? Look no further, I have three isolation mnemonics that will help you remember the diseases included with each precaution and the special PPE you must wear at all times!
I created these mnemonics to help you not only remember the diseases included with each precaution BUT if they are for airborne, droplet, or contact AND the special PPE you must wear!
Don’t forget to take the free isolation precautions review quiz.
Lecture on Isolation Mnemonics
Mnemonics for Isolation Precautions
Droplet Precautions
Diseases included with droplet precautions:
- Pharyngeal Diphtheria
- Epiglottitis, (caused by Haemophilus influenza type b)
- Flu (contact and droplet)
- Meningococcal Disease: Sepsis, Pneumonia, meningitis
- Mumps (infectious parotitis)
- Pneumonia
- Mycoplasma Pneumonia
- Parvovirus B19 (erythema infectiosum or 5th disease)
- Pneumonic Plague
- Adenovirus (contact and droplet)
- Streptococcal pharyngitis
- Whooping Cough (pertussis)
- Rhinovirus
- Scarlet fever
- Rubella (German Measles)
Who’s Adjustable Droplet Mask Stops Scary Pneumatic Fluid Parasites Plaguing Distinguished German Men? My Epic Mum’s, Rhonda.
Who’s: Whooping Cough
Adjustable: Adenovirus (remember ADD contact precautions as well)
Droplet: type of precaution
Mask: PPE you must wear at all times
Stops: Streptococcal pharyngitis
Scary: Scarlet fever
Pneumatic: Pneumonia
Fluid: Flu (influenza)
Parasites: Parvovirus B19
Plaguing: Pneumonic Plague
Distinguished: Diphtheria
German: German Measles (Rubella)
Men: Meningococcal Disease: Meningitis, sEpsis, pNemonia
My: Mycoplasma Pneumonia
Epic: Epiglottitis
Mum‘s: Mumps
Rhonda: Rhinovirus
Airborne Precautions
Diseases included with airborne precautions:
- Chicken Pox (varicella) (Airborne and Contact)
- Herpes Zoster (Varicella Zoster(disseminated) Shingles (Airborne and Contact)
- Measles (Rubeola)
- M. Tuberculosis
Airborne Chicken Number 95 Dissected Her Tubby Mealworm
Airborne: type of isolation precaution
Chicken: Chicken Pox (Varicella)
Number 95: N95 mask…special PPE you must wear at all times
Dissected Her: Disseminated Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
Tubby: Tuberculosis
Mealworm: Measles
Contact Precautions
Diseases included with contact precautions:
- Medication-Resistant Organisms: MRSA, VRE, extended spectrum beta lactamase producers (ESBLs), Klebsiella pnemoniae carbapenemase (KPC)
- Diarrhea infections or of unknown origin: C.diff, noravirus, rotavirus…..USE SOAP AND WATER FOR HAND WASHING NOT hand-sanitizer.
- NOTE: Hepatitis A. (if patient is diapered or incontinent pt)..remember it is spread through stool
- Skin infection: impetigo, lice, scabies, herpes simplex, chickenpox (airborne and contact), skin diphtheria, shingles (airborne and contact)
- Wound infections with excessive drainage or staphylococci
- Pulmonary infections: RSV, parainfluenza
- Eye infection: conjunctivitis
Don Medical Glove/Gown With Every Contact Precaution Session
Don: Diarrhea Infections
Medical: Mediation Resistant Organisms
Gloves/Gown: PPE you must always wear at all times
With: Wound Infections
Every: Eye infections
Contact: type of isolation precaution
Precaution: Pulmonary infections
Session: Skin infections
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