Neutropenic Precautions

One of the most common causes of neutropenia is chemotherapy for cancer treatment. Participating in my preceptorship on an oncology unit this semester, the most common complication I observed that patients experienced was neutropenia. The Absolute Neutrophil Count, or ACN, of a patient who is neutropenic is much lower than that of a person who is not. Neutrophils are white blood cells, which normally function as cells that protect the body from infection. Therefore, having a low ACN makes the patient much more susceptible to infection. Due to this fact, certain protocols and procedures are implemented with little variation in hospitals around the country in order to protect the patient from developing an infection. These include specific room precautions, diet, and instructions for the patient. This topic provides a great opportunity for nurse, patient, and family education. But what is most interesting about neutropenia and involved precautions is the lack of recent data on the subject. Neutropenic precautions have not been updated since the early 2000s and more recent studies have been published questioning the validity of specific parts of these precautions. This poster aims to explore the science behind neutropenia, the treatment, protocols, patient and visitor education while examining the shortage of recent evidenced base practice