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Infection Control

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC’s Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Center has established guidelines for controlling the spread of infection in clinic and in the hospital for the protection of our patients. Please review these guidelines below.

Additional information about infection control is available through the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

For questions or more information, please contact Children’s CF Center at 412-692-5630.

Download CF Infection
Control in Clinic (PDF)

CF Infection Control in Clinic

Hand Hygiene

Patients and staff will use appropriate hand washing
Hands are to be washed with waterless, alcohol based gel
If hands visibly soiled, anti-bacterial soap is to be used
Patients are to wash hands after leaving and entering exam room (PFT’S, X-ray, restrooms, etc.)
Hand gel dispensers are available in clinic waiting rooms

Patient rooms

Patients will be placed in exam rooms as soon as possible
All exam and treatment rooms will be wiped down with disinfectant, including all horizontal surfaces
All equipment will be cleaned with appropriate solution

Gowns and Gloves

Staff will wear gowns and gloves when entering patient exam rooms

Masks

Staff will wear masks when doing PFTs, collecting throat or sputum samples, or needing to be within 3 feet of patient who is coughing

Toys/shared objects

There will be no toys or books in clinic exam rooms

What can parents and patients do?

Bring toys and books to clinic for your child
Nod, wink, smile; do not shake hands with other CF families
Review CF pamphlets on guidelines. They are available in clinic or from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Web site.

Download Inpatient Infection
Control Guidelines (PDF)

Inpatient Infection Control Guidelines

Hand hygiene
The most important means of preventing person-to-person transmission of bacteria is good hand hygiene. All staff must comply with hand hygiene guidelines.

Use antibacterial soap if hands visibly soiled or gel not available
Use hand gel for all other times
Wash hands after coughing and entering and leaving room

Patient rooms

Patients with CF should be admitted to a private room whenever possible
If a patient with CF is admitted to a semi-private, then the roommate should not have CF, another respiratory illness, or an immune deficiency

Gowns and gloves

All staff entering patient rooms will wear gowns and gloves

Masks

Staff must wear masks when contact with respiratory secretions is anticipated
Respiratory therapists will wear masks for all treatments
Masks are to be worn by CF patient when leaving patient room
Masks should cover both nose and mouth and be changed every 30 minutes

Activity outside hospital room

The playroom can be used by only one CF patient at a time. Patients with B.cepacia, MRSA, or multiply resistant Pseudomonas may not use the playroom.
Patients should not go to the cafeteria or gift shop and should not congregate at the nursing station. Patients should leave their room only for purposes of tests, procedures, or when going on pass (outside the building)

Contact with other CF patients should be avoided!