F. Post Anesthesia Recovery Units (PARUs)
Medical Centers should have at le one recovery room within the PARU meeting at a minimum CDC
ventilation criteria for S/KI TB. As an option, especially in low-incidence areas, Medical Centers may
recover surgical patients with S/KI TB in an ICU isolation suite or room that meets CDC guidance for
S/KI TB.
G. Surgical Suite (SeeMMWR, October 28, 1994, Vol. 43, No. RR- 13, p. 50-51 for details)
1. Existing VHA facility criteria (see HVAC Design Manual) and standards for surgery are
appropriate for surgical care of S/KI TB patients. Current VHA criteria exceed the CDC guidelines.
Typically, no changes will be required unless return air is used in the OR. VA criteria have not
sanctioned the use of return air in ORs for many years.
2. Traffic patterns should be designed to reduce unnecessary movement throughout the
surgical suite, hallways and other associated areas when surgery on a patient with S/KI TB is performed.
3. Appropriate scheduling and other controls are necessary for surgery on S/KI TB patients
since positive pressure allow is used in operating rooms.
H. Long Term Care
In general, no rooms are 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.
I. Ambulatory Care
1. Determining the Number of TB Rooms:
Determining the number of TB rooms 'in the Ambulatory Care setting should be in alignment with the
facility risk assessment. Specifically, facilities in the lowest risk assessment category may not need
rooms with specific tuberculosis engineering controls at all, but rather a written plan for dealing with the
possible event of a S/KI TB patient reaching the facility. For facilities above the minimal risk category,
the following is a suggested method for determining the number of exam/treatment or special treatment
rooms designated for S/KI TB patients in unscheduled ambulatory care areas (hospital-based, satellite,
and independent OPCs):
a. Obtain the estimated eligible veteran population for the facility from DPPB for any
specified future year and the current eligible veteran population for the facility.
b. Each facility should generate the estimated number of potential unscheduled S/KI TB
patient visits per year.
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