number of bedrooms included in the sub-set would be based on anticipated workload determined for that
facility. The following facility requirements must be met:
a. All one-bed rooms designated for TB must meet CDC guidelines for S/KI TB
b. Each one-bed room must have a private bathroom and should have a shower where
possible. Safe shower facilities are to be available, however, if the bedroom for S/KI TB . patients does
not offer these facilities
c. Anterooms are not required for the negative pressure rooms designated for S/KI TB
d. For S/KI TB patients, examination/treatment rooms and any other special treatment
rooms where sputum induction, aerosol treatments and/or cough or aerosol-generating procedures are
performed should meet CDC requirements for infectious TB with the additional requirement of 12 or
greater air changes per hour. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) may be used as an enhancement
to the recommended engineering controls.
2. Low Incidence Areas
For those facilities anticipating a low S/KI TB workload, little or no chance to existing nursing units-may
be required. Existing VA space planning criteria for MS&N nursing units (see Planning Criteria for VA
Facilities, Handbook 7610 Chapter 100.04) requires two isolation suites per nursing unit. These rooms
will be capable of providing negative or positive pressure and have an anteroom and attached private
bathroom. Minimum air changes are 8 per hour with 100% outside exhaust through a HEPA filter. If
these rooms are not currently provided or if additional rooms are needed for S/KI TB patients then these
additional rooms must meet CDC guidance for S/KI TB and have a private bathroom. An existing 2-bed
room which has appropriate ventilation airflow and bathroom facilities meeting, at a minimum, current
CDC guidance for S/KI TB, may be scheduled for use by a single TB patient as a low cost alternative to
constructing or renovating an additional 1-bed room.
Sputum induction, aerosol treatments and/or cough or aerosol-generating procedures should be performed
either in TB bedrooms or other rooms that meet CDC guidance for S/KI T'B.
D. MH&BS Nursing Units (Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences)
In general, no rooms should be required for S/KI TB patients as they should be transferred to an
appropriate MS&N nursing unit for diagnosis and treatment as needed until they are no longer infectious.
E. Intensive Care Units (ICUs)
1. Existing ICUs should meet cur-rent VHA space planning criteria (see Planning Criteria for
VA Facilities, Handbook 7610 Chapter 102.05) for the number of isolation suites and at a minimum meet
CDC criteria for ventilation for S/KI TB.
2. All ICUs which utilize return air systems shall have the return air HEPA filtered.
Installation of ultraviolet (UV) lamps may be considered in ICUs which there is a high risk for TB
transmission. All ICU rooms housing S/KI TB patients must, at a minimum, meet the current CDC
guidance for S/KI TB.
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