What it means
In infection control, a barrier is something placed between a person and germs or body fluids: gloves, gowns, masks and eye protection, intact skin, or a barrier cream on the skin. In care planning, a barrier is anything that makes care harder, such as a language barrier, cost, lack of transport or a learning barrier like poor eyesight.
For the nurse
Choose barrier equipment by the contact you expect, not by the client's diagnosis. When teaching, ask about barriers first (language, reading level, hearing, vision, money) and plan around them, for example with a medical interpreterMED-ih-kul in-TER-prih-terA trained person who changes spoken or signed words from one language to another so clients and health care workers understand each other.Full entry .
At a glance
| Spanish | barrera |
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Related terms
precaution
A step taken ahead of time to prevent harm, such as the infection-control practices used with every client.
hand hygiene
Cleaning the hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.
glove
A covering for the hand worn to protect the wearer and the client from germs, body fluids and chemicals.
mask
A covering for the nose and mouth, worn to block germs or to deliver oxygen.