You or your loved one are on Additional Precautions because you may have an infection or be carrying a germ that others can get. The type of additional precautions (often called isolation), that you are on, is based on how the germ you have is spread to others. There are 3 types of Additional Precautions in use at Hamilton Health Sciences:
Contact Precautions – the germ is spread by hands or any item in which you have had contact.
Droplet/Contact Precautions – the germ is spread both by items you have touched and by large droplets from coughing and sneezing.
Airborne Precautions – the germ is spread by tiny droplets in the air.
If you are on Additional Precautions:
- Your health care provider will:
- Talk with you about why you are in isolation.
- Provide you with written information about why you are in isolation.
- To go anywhere outside of your room, please check with your nurse healthcare provider
- You can leave your room for therapy and exercise such as walking around the unit.
- You can leave your room for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, or unit worship service.
- Do not visit another patient.
- Do not use the kitchen on the unit or ward.