Infection prevention is a crucial part of providing healthcare. The spread of infection from one patient to another can have disastrous effects on the patient’s health, and it can cost a hospital a lot in terms of time and money. This is why hospitals take infection prevention very seriously.
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has issued a number of guidelines to help hospitals reduce the spread of infection.
The Basic Steps
The first step in preventing the spread of infection is keeping your hands clean. You should definitely wash your hands both before and after every patient contact. You should also wash your hands before and after using the bathroom, change a diaper, or handle body fluid.
The CDC recommends that you use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. You should also use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer after touching a patient’s body fluids or objects that may have come in contact with a patient’s body fluids.
It is important to remember that while alcohol-based hand sanitizers are effective against most germs, they do not kill all germs. For example, alcohol-based hand sanitizers will not kill the hepatitis B virus or HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). Therefore, you should not use alcohol-based hand sanitizers as a substitute for washing your hands with soap and water.
How do I use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer?
Before using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, make sure your hands are clean. If you have not washed your hands with soap and water, use a handwashing sink or other hand-washing facilities to wash your hands first. After washing your hands, apply the alcohol-based hand sanitizer to your hands. Rub the sanitizer into your hands until they are dry. Apply enough hand sanitizer to cover all surfaces of your hands and fingers, including the backs of your hands and between your fingers. And after you are done, you must wash your hands with soap and water.
How Hospitals Prevent Infections from Spreading
Hospitals are places where you go to get better, but often people leave the hospital with infections that could have been prevented. Infections can be deadly and it’s important that hospitals take serious precautions to prevent their spread.
Sanitization is vital to prevent infections. Most importantly, hospitals must ensure that staff wash their hands frequently and use soap and water or antibacterial hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available. It is also important to conduct a thorough cleaning of rooms and other areas in the hospital. The cleaning staff should ensure that all surfaces are disinfected with an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant. A great idea many hospitals have already accepted into practice is using a HealthySole® PLUS shoe sanitizing station, which helps greatly in battling infections and keeping cleanliness.
Another way to prevent infections is to ensure that all staff is trained in infection control and the importance of hand-washing. It is also important for patients to wash their hands frequently, especially after using the bathroom or before eating. To help prevent infections, all staff should wear gloves when caring for patients. They should also wash their hands before and after touching a patient. Gloves should be changed whenever they become soiled or torn. As a general rule, the hospital staff must wear medical-grade disposable gloves when necessary to ensure proper protection and utmost safety.
It is also important to clean and disinfect the patient’s room. The cleaning should be done on a regular basis, especially after a patient has died. The main method of preventing infection in hospitals is through sterilization. This can be
done through autoclaving, using a chemical sterilizer, or by irradiation.
The Most Common Infections
The 2 most common hospital infections are pneumonia and urinary tract infections. Each year, these two infections affect millions of people worldwide. Urinary tract infections affect the kidneys and the bladder, while pneumonia affects the lungs. Pneumonia is a very serious infection that can be life-threatening if it isn’t treated right away.
How are these infections spread?
Urinary tract infections and pneumonia are usually spread through contaminated water or food. People can also get these infections from other people who have them. Pneumonia is more likely to be spread in crowded places, such as shelters or nursing homes.
When it comes to preventing infection, hospitals have adopted a number of strategies. Some hospitals have gone so far as to use colored lights or a special kind of paint on walls and floors that help prevent the spread of disease. Other hospitals have made changes in staffing and procedure policies that help reduce contamination during surgery. While it may seem like hospitals are at risk for spreading infection due to patients being in the hospital, there are preemptive steps that can be taken to keep these infections from spreading. By implementing a few preventative measures, they don’t remove the risk but can diminish it greatly.
