Table 3.

Potential best practices for mitigating exposures in the home environment for patients on OPAT

1. Take a patient-centered approach in determining what specific types of education or training individual patients need to avoid hazards.

2. Bathing with the venous catheter should be considered a skill to learn and specific education around bathing provided.

3. Consider ambient temperature when choosing antimicrobial agents or delivery devices.

4. Assist patients with locating an uncluttered, clean area in the home where all OPAT-related supplies can be stored.

5. Provide patients education around household tasks such as cleaning, cooking, pet care, and outdoor work.

6. Encourage patients to ask friends and family members to take on household tasks such as cleaning, cooking, pet care, and outdoor work.

7. If household tasks must be performed, encourage patients to cover the venous catheter as much as possible by wearing gloves, covering the catheter with clothing, and avoiding direct exposure to soil.

OPAT, outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy.