Isolation ward

Design

In an isolation unit, several measures must be implemented in order to reduce the spread of infection. The units are generally placed away from the main hospital, and staff often only work in that unit. In some hospitals, the unit is placed in a separate building. Ventilation is important to reduce the transmission of airborne spores, and the most severely affected patients are placed in separate wards. However, in some circumstances, especially in areas experiencing a major epidemic, makeshift isolation wards can be constructed.

Use

Isolation wards are used to isolate patients who pose a risk of passing a potentially harmful infection on to others. Such infections can range in severity widely, from diseases such as influenza to ebola, although more precautions are generally taken with diseases of a higher mortality rate. Outside major hospitals, isolation wards can be set up to control infection in crowded places, or those lacking substantial medical facilities. Many major passenger ships contain separate wards which can be converted for use in isolating patients.

References

References

1. Lt Col SKM Rao. 2004 ''[[Medical Journal Armed Forces India]]'' [http://medind.nic.in/maa/t04/i1/maat04i1p63.pdf "Designing Hospital for better Infection Control:an Experience"] {{Webarchive. link. (2010-02-15)
2. K D Bagshawe; R Blowers; O M Lidwell (1978)[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1607595/pdf/brmedj00143-0034.pdf "Isolating patients in hospital to control infection. Part III--Design and construction of isolation accommodation."] ''British Medical Journal''
3. ''Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene'' 2009 [http://fieldresearch.msf.org/msf/bitstream/10144/90161/1/Raabe%20-%20Infection%20control%20FHF%20outbreak.pdf Infection control during filoviral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks: preferences of community members and health workers in Masindi, Uganda]{{Dead link. (February 2023)
4. [[World Health Organization]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20030608090853/http://www.who.int/csr/sars/travel/vessels/en/ Recommended procedures for prevention and management of probable cases of SARS on International Cruise Vessels] 4 June 2003
5. Marjo Hallowell 2009 [http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1298071?UserKey= Cruise is over at first port as hundreds fall prey to illness]