North Carolina now has a "voluntary" unified color scheme for isolation signage available to be used across the spectrum of healthcare providers in the state, including acute care hospitals, rehabilitation and long-term care facilities, and ambulatory/surgical centers. The timing is right with the recently released revisions in late June of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings 2007, prepared by the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC).
The situation today is that patients, families and visitors are in many different healthcare facilities through referrals or as they access care. Medical, nursing, pharmacy and allied health students typically train in multiple healthcare systems. In addition, turnover is high in healthcare fields and moonlighting of staff between facilities is common. The reality is everyone must remember the colors each facility has chosen to use for each of the isolation categories. A statewide standardized color scheme could decrease confusion, reduce the need for re-education among facilities and increase compliance.
Two infection control groups in the state, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC) North Carolina state chapter and the Public Health and Institutional Task (PHIT) Force for Best Infection Control Practice, and the State Epidemiologist have participated in the process of surveys, discussion, and review of the signs.
The SPICE signs are available and encouraged for use in all North Carolina healthcare facilities, although use is voluntary. Healthcare facilities may choose to use the color scheme only, or to modify the statewide signage per facility policy.
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SPICE Isolation Signs Background and Additional Information
28 August 2007