A. Members of a family who have a negative screen for an EID will be asked to wait outside for other family members. Patients and members of their family who have a positive screen for an EID will be escorted to the negative pressure zone of the ED.
1. At least one parent/guardian will remain with children ≤ 15 years of age who are assigned to the negative pressure zone.
2. If the only parent/guardian or both parents/guardians are assigned to the negative pressure zone, the child or children ≤ 15 years of age will remain with the parent/guardian or parents/guardians. The child or children will don an N-95 mask for SARS or avian influenza or a surgical mask for swine influenza prior to entering the negative pressure zone.
3. When only one of two parents/guardians has signs of an EID, the parent/guardian without signs of an EID may accompany children ≤ 15 without signs of an EID to the special area of the waiting room. Children ≥ 16 years of age who have no signs of an EID should wait in the special area of the waiting room with or without a parent/guardian.
B. Children without evidence of an EID who are ≤ 15 years of age will accompany the parent/guardian or parents/guardians to the negative pressure zone when the parent/guardian or parents/guardians are to be evaluated for an EID. Likewise, the parent/guardian or parents/guardians will accompany a child or children with signs of a possible EID to the negative pressure zone when the child or children are to be evaluated for an EID. Parents/guardians who screened negative for the EID will don an N-95 mask for SARS or avian influenza or a surgical mask for swine influenza prior to accompanying their children into the negative pressure zone.
C. Evaluation and disposition of patients.
1. Pediatric patients will be transported to x-ray during the evaluation process following the procedures in policy 3.3 (Transportation of Patients with an Emerging Infectious Disease (EID) or a Possible EID).
2. Children with an EID who can be managed as outpatients will be sent home with a parent/guardian or family member.
3. Admission of children with an EID.
a. Children will be admitted following the procedures in Policy 3.6 (Admission of Patients with an Emerging Infectious Disease (EID) to the Hospital) except that signatures will be obtained from a parent/guardian outside of the patient’s room when admission takes place after the patient has arrived on the floor.
b. HCWs will be assigned to care for EID patients and will not care for non EID patients.
c. If more EID patients are admitted, they will be admitted to the same unit as the first patient.
