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Six Ways To Help Prevent Hospital Acquired Infection:
1. SPEAK UP!TM Talk to your doctor about any questions or concerns you have about your care and preventing hospital infection.
2. KEEP HANDS CLEAN. Be sure
everyone, including hospital sta , washes their hands before touching you.
3. GET SMART ABOUT ANTIBIOTICS. Ask if tests will be done to make sure that the right antibiotic is prescribed for your particular infection.
4. KNOW THE SIGNS & SYMPTOMS. See the chart below to help you identify the symptoms of infection. Tell your doctor immediately if you have any of these symptoms.
5. TREAT DIARRHEA SERIOUSLY. Tell your doctor if you have had
3 or more diarrhea episodes within 24 hours, especially if you have been taking an antibiotic.
6. PROTECT YOURSELF. Get vaccinated against u and other infections to avoid any complications.
HOW INFECTION BEGINS
Bacteria or other germs travel down a “central line” and enter the blood
SYMPTOMS TO LOOK FOR
• Fevers and chills, or the skin around the central line may become sore and red
HOW INFECTION BEGINS
Germs enter the urinary tract through the catheter tube
SYMPTOMS TO LOOK FOR
• Fever, burning or pain in the lower abdomen
• Bloody, burning or frequent urination
PREVENTION PREVENTION PREVENTION PREVENTION
• Avoid touching the area
• Be sure that sta washes their hands before and after handling your central line
• Be sure that sta wears a mask, cap, sterile gloves, gown and drape while handling your central line
• Have your central line removed as soon as possible
• Avoid touching the area
• Empty the bag regularly and wash hands before touching the catheter
• Be sure that sta washes their hands before and after handling your catheter
• Make sure the catheter is securely attached to the leg to prevent twisting, kinking or tugging at the tube
• Keep bag lower than the bladder preventing back ow
• Know how to care for the catheter before leaving the hospital
HOW INFECTION BEGINS
Either internally at the site of the surgery or on the skin at the surgery site
SYMPTOMS TO LOOK FOR
• Fever, redness and pain around surgical site or drainage of cloudy uid from surgical wound
• Avoid touching the area
• Avoid smoking before surgery
• Do not shave surgery site
• Be sure that sta washes their hands before and after handling your dressings
• Wash hands before touching the surgical wound or dressings. If the bandage gets wet or dirty, tell the sta immediately
• Know how to care for
your wound and dressings before leaving the hospital
Let’s Go
Over The Most Common Hospital Infections
• Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAI) are infections that occur during your stay in the hospital.
• Be aware of the most common infections, their symptoms and take steps to reduce your risks of HAI during your hospital stay.
Ventilator- Associated Pneumonia
Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection
Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection
Surgical Site Infection
HOW INFECTION BEGINS
Germs enter the lungs through the ventilator tube
SYMPTOMS TO LOOK FOR
• A cough with discolored phlegm
• Fever and chills
• Shortness of breath
• Avoid touching the ventilator tube
• Family members & visitors should wash hands often
• Be sure that sta washes their hands before and after handling the ventilator tube
• Ask the doctor about elevating the head of the bed to a 45˚ angle to prevent pneumonia
• Have the ventilator removed as soon as possible
• Ask sta to regularly clean patient’s mouth
FOCUS ON HEALTH–PREVENT INFECTION!