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Wash Your Hands With Soap And Warm Water For 15 To 20 Seconds Need a a a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice No Soap? Use Sanitizer Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of microbes on hands Simply apply sanitizer to to your palm and and continue to to rub over the entire surface of your hands and and ngers until they are completely dry Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
1 Clean Your Hands • After touching objects or surfaces
• • Before eating
• • After using the restroom
Are You At Risk For A A A Blood Clot?
Deep-vein thrombosis or DVT is is a blood clot that forms in in in a a vein often in in in the lower leg or thigh When the blood clot breaks away and travels through the blood stream to an an artery blocking blood ow it can cause death or damage to the brain heart or lungs Risks of blood clots is is greater if you are inactive for long periods such as during a a a hospital stay To lower your risk of DVT follow these tips:
• Talk to to to your your doctor about your your risk of DVT and using compression stockings or blood-thinners while you are in in in in the hospital • Notice the following symptoms during your stay: swelling pain tenderness
or or or or discoloration in in in in one or or or or both legs arm or or or or neck sudden coughing that may bring up blood sharp chest pain rapid breathing or or shortness of breath breath severe light-headedness Courtesy National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
Prevent Falls
Falls
may occur when a a a a patient tries to to to get out of bed either
to to to go to to to the the the the bathroom or walk around the the the room
room
when they are weak or or unsteady due to illness inactivity or or the side-e ects of medications If you need to get out of bed:
• Use your call button to to ask for help getting out of bed if you feel unsteady • Ask for help going to the bathroom or or walking around the room
or or in in hallways • Always use handrails in the bathroom and hallways • Wear non-slip socks or footwear • Donotletyourrobe
or or pajamas drag the oor they may cause you to trip • Keep the call button and items you need within your reach • Lower the the the height of the the the bed and the the the side rails so that you can reach what you need • Talk to to your your doctor if your your medicine makes you sleepy light-headed sluggish or confused Ask how to reduce these side e e e e e ects or if you can take another medicine Courtesy of e e Joint Commission
PATIENT SAFETY
Ways To Prevent Hospital Infection
While you’re in the the the hospital there is the the the possibility of developing an an infection You can reduce your risks by taking these simple precautions:
3 Cover If You Are Sick Limit the spread of germs by sneezing and coughing into tissues that you promptly throw away Avoid touching other people If you do develop an infection ask the sta if there is anything else you should do to help prevent the spread of germs 4
Check Your Bandages If a a a a bandage on a a a a wound or IV becomes loose or wet let your nurse know Also if you have a a a a a catheter or drainage tube tell your nurse if it becomes loose or dislodged 5 Remind Sta To Clean Their Hands You’ll notice that your healthcare providers wash their hands both before and a a er they touch you While this is is standard practice don’t hesitate to speak up and and ask them to wash their hands if they forget 6 Tell Guests Not To Visit
If They Are Sick Also ask your guests to clean their hands when they enter your room
2 Keep Vaccinations Up-To-Date Be sure you are protected from the spread of infection by knowing what vaccinations you you might need If you you don’t know ask your hospital sta