Bone Marrow Transplant: Isolation Procedures

Your child will have a bone marrow transplant. Before the transplant can be done, he or she will receive medicines and/or radiation for several days or weeks. This is called a chemotherapy conditioning regimen. It makes your child less able to fight infection. He will be in a special room (isolation). During this time, there are precautions to be followed that will reduce the chances of your child's catching germs or an infection brought into the room from the outside.

Rules for Anyone Visiting your Child

No one should enter your child's room for 24 hours after:

• Not feeling well, having a cold, or with a temperature over 100°F.
• Being around someone who has a cold, flu, or other contagious (catching) illness.
• Being around someone who has chickenpox, shingles, or active cold sores.

If a visitor has been near another person with one of these illnesses, it is very important for him to check with your child’s doctor before going into the child’s room.

Modified Isolation Procedures

Modified Isolation procedures are to be followed during the time your child is in the hospital. This type of isolation is used to help reduce the risk of your child getting an infection from family members and hospital staff.

Before entering your child’s room everyone must follow these steps:

• Remove any coats, jackets, cardigan sweaters, or lab coats.
• Wash your hands for 30 seconds using the anti-germ soap provided or apply the waterless hand sanitizer.
• Put on gloves. A fresh pair of gloves must be worn when you enter the room and must stay on until you leave the room. Gloves may be removed for sleep at night. Gloves must be changed any time they get dirty, if they are soiled with body waste, or if they touch an item dropped on the floor.
• Any items dropped on the floor must be cleaned with alcohol or virex before they can be returned to your child.
• When you leave your child’s room, place your used protective clothing in the hamper.

Strict Isolation Procedures

Your child is on Strict Isolation to protect him or her from coming into contact with germs and infections. Only 6 different people (including parents) will be allowed to visit your child. Please give your child's nurse the names of those 6 people. Only 2 visitors may be in the room at the same time.

If your child is an infant, you may bring clothing from home after it has been washed with soap and hot water and placed in sealed plastic bags.

These steps must be followed by everyone before entering your child's room:

• Remove any coats, jackets, cardigan sweaters, or lab coats.
• Put on a mask. (The mask should be changed every hour.)
• Wash your hands for 30 seconds using the anti-germ soap provided or apply the waterless hand sanitizer.
• Put on an isolation gown.
• Put on gloves. A fresh pair of gloves must be worn when you enter the room and must stay on until you leave the room. Gloves may be removed for sleep at night. Gloves must be changed any time they get dirty, if they are soiled with body waste, or if they touch an item dropped on the floor.
• When you leave the child's room, place your used protective clothing in the hamper.
• Any items dropped on the floor must be cleaned with alcohol or virex before they can be returned to your child.

If you have any questions, be sure to ask your nurse or doctor.

Bone Marrow Transplant Isolation Procedures (PDF)

HH-I-166 8/92 Revised 6/14 Copyright 1992, Nationwide Children's Hospital