Hand Hygiene Takes Priority

[Bobbie]

http://pd.kansascity.com/sp?aff=100&key ... &submit=Go

This was a front page story in The KC Star today, probably due to the MRSA "scare." (No mention of C diff.). Stories are available through hyperlinks for several months until newspapers "pull" them. In case it's "pulled," here is the "jest" of it.

The article says (paraphrased) that hospitals are "cracking down" on hygiene for hospital workers because of the increase of antibiotic-resistant germs inside & hospitals. Proper handwahing is the simplest & most effective way to stop the infections that kill tens of thousands of people each year. It also says that despite recent efforts, hand-washing compliance rates at most hospitals are still only about 50%. Guess who the biggest offenders are?

It lists 7 steps to reduce chances of a hospital infection:
(l) Ask your hospital about its hygiene complaince rate & efforts to reduce infections
(2) Make sure hospital workers (including doctors) clean their hands before treating you or your loved ones
(3) Before someone uses a stethoscope, ask that the diaphram is wiped with alcohol
(4) If you need surgery, find out the surgeon's infection rate
(5) Ask visitors to wash their hands before entering (& leaving your room),
(6) Avoid touching your mouth with your hands; don't set food or utentsils on furniture
(7) If you have an IV make sure it's inserted & removed under sanitary conditions.

In other words, protect yourself & your loved ones by insisting on sanitation. This dates back to the days of Florence Nightingale.

For more information, see
www.hospitalinfection.org
www.cdc.gov/mrsa
www.apic.org
www.ihi.org




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