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Stopping the Dangerous Superbug
How to Protect Yourself Against
Infection, in Any Hospital
November 14, 2006
But those handy guidelines
aren't available in every state, so what can you do to protect yourself against
hospital infections?
These tips come from the
Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths, a non-profit organization devoted solely
to providing safer, cleaner, hospital care founded by former
1. Ask that hospital staff
clean their hands before treating you, and ask visitors to clean their hands
too. This is the single most
important way to protect yourself in the hospital. If
you're worried about being too aggressive, just remember your life could be at
stake. All caregivers should clean their hands before treating you. Studies
suggest that alcohol-based hand cleaners are more effective at removing most
bacteria than soap and water. Do not hesitate to say the following to your
doctor or caregiver: "Excuse me, but there's an alcohol dispenser right
there. Would you mind using that before you touch me, so I can see it?"
Don't be falsely assured by gloves. If caregivers have pulled on gloves without
cleaning their hands first, the gloves are already contaminated before they
touch you.
2. Before
your doctor uses a stethoscope to listen to your chest, ask that it be wiped
with alcohol. Numerous studies show
that stethoscopes are often contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus and other dangerous bacteria, because caregivers
seldom take the time to clean them in between patient use. The American Medical
Association recommends that stethoscopes routinely be cleaned for each patient.
The same precautions should be taken for many other commonly used pieces of
equipment, too.
3. If you need a
"central line" catheter, ask your doctor about the benefits of one
that is antibiotic-impregnated or silver-chlorhexidine
coated to reduce infections.
4. If
you need surgery, choose a surgeon with a low infection rate. Surgeons know their rate of infection for various
procedures. Ask for it. If they won't tell you, consider choosing another
surgeon.
5. Beginning three to five
days before surgery, shower daily with 4 percent chlorhexidine
soap. Drug stores that don't stock chlorhexidine soap are generally happy to order it for you.
You don't need a prescription. Studies suggest that using this soap will help
remove any dangerous bacteria you may be carrying on your own skin that could
enter your surgical incision and cause an infection. Keep the soap away from
your eyes and ears.
6. Ask your surgeon to
have you tested for Staphylococcus aureus at least
one week before you come into the hospital. The test is simple, usually just a nasal swab. About one third of people
carry Staphylococcus aureus on their skin, and if you
are one of them, extra precautions can be taken to protect you from infection,
to give you the correct antibiotic during surgery, and to prevent you from
transmitting bacteria to others.
7. If you do smoke, stop
smoking well in advance of your surgery.
Patients who smoke are three times as likely to develop a surgical site
infection as nonsmokers, and have significantly slower recoveries and longer
hospital stays.
8. On
the day of your operation, remind your doctor that you may need an antibiotic
one hour before the first incision.
For many types of surgery, a pre-surgical antibiotic is the standard of care,
but it is often overlooked by busy hospital staff.
9. Ask your doctor about
keeping you warm during surgery. Operating
rooms are often kept cold for the comfort of the staff, but research shows that
for many types of surgery, patients who are kept warm resist infection better.
There are many ways to keep patients warm, including special blankets, hats and
booties, and warmed IV liquids.
10. Do not shave the
surgical site. Razors can create
small nicks in the skin, through which bacteria can enter. If hair must be
removed before surgery, ask that clippers be used instead of a razor.
11. Ask that your surgeon
limit the number of people (including medical students) in the operating room. Every increase in the number of people adds to your
risk of infection.
12. Ask your doctor about
monitoring your glucose (sugar) levels continuously during and after surgery,
especially if you are having cardiac surgery. The stress of surgery often makes glucose levels spike
erratically. New research shows that when blood glucose levels are tightly
controlled to stay between 80-110 mg/unit, heart
patients resist infection better. Continue monitoring even when you are
discharged from the hospital, because you are not fully healed yet.
13. Avoid a urinary tract
catheter if possible. It is a common
cause of infection. The tube allows urine to flow from your bladder out of your
body. Sometimes catheters are used when busy hospital staff
don't have time to walk patients to the bathroom. Ask for a diaper or
bed pan instead. They're safer.
14. If you must have an
IV, make sure that it is inserted and removed under clean conditions and
changed every three to four days.
Intravenous catheters, or IVs, are a common source of infection and are not
always necessary. If you need one, insist that it be inserted and removed under
clean conditions, which means that your skin is cleaned at the site of
insertion, and the person treating you is wearing clean gloves. Alert hospital
staff immediately if any redness appears.
For even more information,
check out our source:
http://www.hospitalinfection.org/
For the