How to prevent infections during your hospital stay

Hand hygiene

Washing your hands, known as hand hygiene, is the most important way to prevent the spread of infections such as the common cold, influenza, and infections that are hard to treat such as Methicillin resistant staph aureus (MRSA). Insist that all health care workers and visitors wash their hands before they touch you or any devices you have.

• Insist that all health care workers and visitors wash their hands before they touch you or any devices you have.

• Perform hand hygiene often, especially after using the bathroom, blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, before eating, before and after changing dressings or bandages, and when entering or leaving your room.

• If you cannot get to a sink, please ask your health care provider for a waterless alcohol hand rub or wipes.

To perform hand hygiene:

• Use soap and warm, running water.
• Wet your hands.
• Put some soap on your hands.
• Rub your hands together for at least 15 seconds. Cover all surfaces, including between your fingers and under fingernails.
• Rinse with running water.
• Dry your hands with a paper towel.
• Use a paper towel to turn off the faucet.

To use alcohol hand rub, dispense a walnut-sized amount into your hand and rub until dry before touching anything.

Cough and sneeze hygiene (respiratory hygiene)

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your upper arm or elbow.
• Turn away from other people in the room.
• Put the used tissue in the waste basket. Cleanse your hands after handling a tissue or sneezing or coughing into your hands.
• You may be asked to wear a surgical mask when leaving your room.
• Remind your visitor to cover a cough, wear a mask or both.

Special precautions

If you are placed on special precautions to prevent transmission of infection, the nurse will explain the reason for precautions, what the staff will be doing and what your responsibilities are.

Catheter-related bloodstream infections

Central lines (central venous catheters including PICC lines), are lines put into a large vein in your arm, neck, chest or groin. The end of the line stops at or close to your heart.

You will receive medicines, blood, fluids or nutrition through these types of lines. They can also be used to collect blood for medical tests.

• Ask members of your health care team to wash their hands before touching your line.
• Report any signs of infection in the skin around your line (redness, warmth, increased drainage or pain).
• Your central line should stay only as long as needed. Ask your health care provider each day if you still need the line.

Surgical site infections

Here is what you can do to prevent the spread of infection at the site of your surgery:

• Make sure all hospital staff members clean their hands before and after touching your incision site.
• Anyone who visits you should not touch the incision site or dressing.
• Make sure you understand how to care for your incision site before you leave the hospital.
• Always clean your hands before and after caring for your incision site.
• Tell your health care provider if your incision has increased redness, increased pain, or drainage. These could be signs of infection.

Urinary catheter-related infections

Your chance of infection increases the longer your catheter remains in place.

Here is what you can do to prevent a catheter-associated urinary tract infection:

• Make sure your catheter tubing is secured to your leg, if possible, always below the level of your bladder or hips
• Make sure all hospital staff members clean their hands before and after touching your catheter.
• Always keep your urine drain bag off the floor.
• Your catheter should stay only as long as necessary. Ask your healthcare provider each day if you still need the catheter.

How to prevent pneumonia

To prevent pneumonia, follow the breathing instructions you get from your health care team. Ask your health care provider about the influenza and pneumonia vaccines (shots).

Antibiotics use

Antibiotics will only work for bacterial infections such as whooping cough, strep throat and urinary tract infections.

Infections caused by viruses (such as cold, runny nose, sore throat) will not be cured by taking antibiotics. If you have a virus, ask your health care provider for tips on how to relieve symptoms and feel better.

When you are in the hospital with a bacterial infection (such as a urinary tract infection), your health care provider will prescribe antibiotics. They may be changed depending on test results.

Take antibiotics:

• the way your health care provider says (Do not skip a dose.)
• until it is gone, even if you start feeling better
• if prescribed for you by your health care provider.

Tips for visitors

• Do not visit if you feel sick.
• Wash your hands with soap and water or use a waterless alcohol hand rub before you enter and when you leave.
• Follow any directions from the health care team.

Remember

You are an important part of the health care team.