Preventing an Infection While in the Hospital
Preventing an Infection While in the HospitalGerms are everywhere. These tiny particles, usually too small to see, get passed from person to personthrough touch, a wound, a cough, a sneeze, and can travel through the air or live on a surface.When you are healthy, your body can usually fight off the many germs that are part of our everydayenvironment. But if they enter your body while you are in a weakened state, like when you are in the hospitalfor illness or surgery, these germs can easily cause an infection.During your hospital stay, take steps to protect yourself and others from germs. Stop infection in its tracks.Each time you cough or sneeze, catch it in the nook of your elbow. The germs will not get passed to othersfrom your hands.But germs may still be on the surface you touch, so wash your hands with soap and water or use the waterlesshand sanitizers available in the hospital. To further protect yourself from infection and take an active role ininfection prevention, make sure all hospital staff washes their hands before and after treating you.Speak up when visitors come to see you as well. Remind them to cleanse their hands each time they comeinto your room and each time they leave. If you know a family member or friend would like to visit but has acold, scratchy throat, or other type of illness, ask them to stay at home. Your job is to recover and heal withoutthe complication of an infection. The sooner you heal, the sooner you can visit with them in the comfort of yourown home.Another way to prevent infections is to ensure anyone treating or visiting you is wearing proper protectiveequipment, like gloves. Gloves should be worn every time a healthcare provider treats you - and only you.Gloves are single-use. That means they must be thrown away after being used just once.And wearing gloves does not mean your healthcare providers can skip washing their hands or using thewaterless hand sanitizers. They should cleanse their hands before they put gloves on and immediately afterthey take them off, to prevent the spread of infection.If you are scheduled for surgery during your hospital stay, staff will take special steps to prevent the spread ofinfection, and the surgical site will be washed with a special soap. If you have a scratchy throat or think youmay be getting a cold or the flu, tell your healthcare provider before surgery. Antibiotics given just beforesurgery can help prevent infections.While in the hospital, don’t let a complication like an infection get in the way of your recovery. Do all you can toprevent the spread of germs and stay healthy.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.VER59370B EN PreventinganInfectionWhileintheHospital.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 1 of 1
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