Being in a hospital isolation room doesn't mean you're going to be all alone.
It just means that you ... and everyone who comes into your hospital room ...
are going to be taking extra steps to make sure you stay healthy and safe.
Understanding why you need to be in an isolation room can put everyone more at ease.
Sometimes it's to protect other people from getting sick.
Or, it could be to protect you from getting even more sick.
Your nurse or doctor can explain how an isolation room is protecting you and those around you.
It's all about protection ... and helping you get better instead of worse.
During the day, if you do go outside your room for tests or treatments ...
you may need to wear a mask or gloves.
Otherwise, you may need to stay in your room, sometimes with the door shut.
Your room might also have special air filters and special bins for laundry and trash.
When visitors or hospital staff come into your room, they might need to wear a surgical mask or gloves.
For other types of isolation, they might have to wear gowns and gloves.
Some people may not be able to visit you, like children, people who are sick, or others who haven't been exposed to the illness you have.
Kind of like when someone has chickenpox.
So when you do have visitors, it'll help if they know about needing to wear masks or following other rules that help keep you safe.
And it's extra important that they all wash their hands when they come into your room and when they leave.
Understanding how an isolation room can protect you ...
and knowing what to expect ... can help everyone feel more at ease.
Remember, it's the best place for you to be right now, so that you can heal.
