"Does Anybody Know I'm Here?"

1 Thirty-five Minute Program
For: Hospital Administration, Medical Staff, Infection Control Committees, Infection Control Practitioners, Nursing and other personnel with patient care/contact responsibilities.

In 1983 the Centers for Disease Control released their revised guidelines for isolation precautions in hospitals. The guidelines, for the first time, allow a hospital the option of electing either a "category specific" or a "disease specific" isolation system. This 35 minute videotape program, which has a round-table discussion format consisting of public health officials, a hospital epidemiologist, an infection control practitioner, and other hospital personnel, presents the pros and cons of each system. While the program's main concentration is the explanation of the revised CDC guidelines, the concept that isolating the disease-causing agent and not simply isolating the patient is emphasized throughout the presentation.

Suggestions for an Inservice Program Using this Program

1. Using the program description above, briefly introduce the film. During this introduction, establish with the audience your purpose for viewing the film and the major points you want the group to discuss as follow-up to the film.
   
2. You may wish to distribute the handouts, Major Changes in Guidelines for Isolation Precautions in Hospitals and Rationale for Isolation Precautions which are found on pages 5 - 8 of the 1983 CDC Guidelines. These materials are in the public domain and may be duplicated.
   
3. Following viewing, conduct a discussion of the major points raised during the introduction. If your hospital is considering a change in isolation procedures, this discussion can be used as a springboard for planning the change. If you have already made such a change and are in the implementation stage, use the discussion to check progress or to clear up misconceptions.

Produced by the Division of Instruction, Washington County, Maryland Public Schools in cooperation with the Department of Education, Washington County Hospital, Hagerstown, Maryland. Copyright, 1984