Okuzeka
Nursing vocabulary · Infection Control

Isolation

Meaning in nursing, with examples

/ˌaɪsəˈleɪʃən/nounCore term

In nursing, isolation means: Keeping a patient apart from others, usually in a single room with extra precautions, to stop an infection spreading or to protect a patient with weak immunity.

In Turkish: izolasyon, tecrit

How it is used

Nurses say a patient is 'in isolation', 'isolated' or 'barrier nursed'. Types include contact, droplet and airborne precautions; protecting a vulnerable patient is called 'protective' or 'reverse' isolation. Signs on the door show the type and the PPE needed.

Example sentences

  1. Bed 12 has diarrhoea, so we need to move her into isolation until the results come back.

  2. Please keep the door closed; this patient is in isolation.

Common collocations

  • in isolation
  • isolation room
  • contact isolation
  • move into isolation
  • come out of isolation
  • PPEShort for personal protective equipment: gloves, aprons, gowns, masks, eye protection and similar items worn to protect staff and patients from infection.
  • MRSAShort for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a type of bacteria that many common antibiotics cannot kill and that can cause infections, especially in hospitals.
  • hand hygieneCleaning your hands with soap and water or an alcohol hand rub to remove germs and stop them spreading between patients.
  • hospital-acquired infectionAn infection that a patient picks up while in hospital or receiving healthcare, which was not present or developing when they were admitted.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Infection Control

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.