Final answer:
When entering a room with contact precautions, personnel must wear a protective coat, face protection, and cut-resistant gloves, and follow rigorous hand hygiene practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
When entering a room with contact precautions, personnel must use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This includes wearing a protective coat or gown to avoid contamination of clothing, face protection like masks or face shields to prevent droplets from reaching the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose.
Cut-resistant gloves to protect the hands during interaction with the patient or contaminated surfaces. Given the risk of infection, maintaining strict hand hygiene procedures is crucial. This involves thorough hand washing with detergent and warm water, followed by disinfection with either 1 N sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or a diluted bleach solution.
Additionally, any equipment or specimen that is suspected of being contaminated must be handled with the utmost care. After use, such items should be either incinerated, autoclaved, or cleaned with a strong basic solution to ensure decontamination.