Isolation (health care)

Isolation (health care) is a term used in the health care industry to refer to the practice of separating individuals who are ill or infected from those who are healthy. This is done to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Pronunciation

The term is pronounced as /ˌaɪsəˈleɪʃən/.

Etymology

The term "isolation" comes from the Latin word "insulatus", which means "made into an island". In the context of health care, it refers to the concept of making an "island" or separate space for a person who is ill or infected.

Related Terms

• Quarantine: A period of isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease.
• Infection control: The discipline concerned with preventing healthcare-associated infection.
• Patient isolation: The isolation of patients for treatment purposes.
• Barrier nursing: A method for administering patient care while preventing the transmission of communicable diseases.

See Also

• Infectious disease
• Health care
• Public health

References

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