Hygiene Tips

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Bobbie
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Hygiene Tips

Postby Bobbie » Tue Aug 09, 2005 8:04 pm

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2002

Friday contributed the above information.

C. diff is a bacteria that produces spores which live in your large intestine. Spores have a special "coating" that make them impermeable to antibiotics; they're sort of like dormant seeds in your intestine waiting to sprout. These spores can live outside the body, too and are very hardy.

Transmission is fecal-oral. Common environmental locations of spores are toilets, faucet handles and bathroom floors.

The single most important thing you can do to protect your family is to wash your hands, and insist they do too, for at least 10 seconds using plenty of soap and FRICTION. Also, using paper towels will prevent left-over spores not removed by washing from contaminating hand towels.

When you clean your toilet, use bleach and throw away the sponge/brush you cleaned it with.

Ask your doctor if you can still shed spores after active diarrhea stops. Mine says a person can only transmit C. diff to others while he or she is symptomatic. I don't know if this is correct, though.

Correct hygiene is very important in dealing with C.diff. Crowding in hospitals and nursing homes and the use of the same bathrooms is one of the reasons it is so easily spread in these institutions. INSIST ALL NURSING PERSONNEL WASH THEIR HANDS OR USE FRESH GLOVES BEFORE THEY CHANGE YOUR IV, TAKE YOUR BLOOD, ETC.

By Bobbie on Wed Jan 23, 2002

Wash your hands for 30 seconds -- the amount of time it takes you to sing "The Happy Birthday Song" twice. Use "throwaway" paper towels to dry your hands.

Flush the john twice before using it and twice afterwards (with the lid down-- possible in many public restrooms as there aren't lids). This can help prevent you from getting something else and prevent passing C. diff. on to others.

When you clean the bathroom, use disposable plastic gloves (they come in a box and are sold at most drugstores and throw them away after cleaning)

I always sprayed everything (including the john, the area surrounding it, and the sink and its faucets plus the door handles to the bathroom) with Lysol or another spray disinfectant. (I kept a can of Lysol at work, but it's hard to lug it around with you other places.) Recent info., however, says bleach cleaners are more effective than Lysol against bacteria as Lysol is more effective against viruses.

I also washed my clothes separately from those of other family members.

ADDITIONAL HAND WASHING TIPS
Grab the paper towel first, and when you are through washing your hands, turn off the faucet with the paper towel instead of your clean hands which could contaminate them again. Ideally, you should also open the door with the paper towel -- especially in a public restroom. If the restroom doen't have a washcan by the door, throw the paper towel on the floor, and they'll "get the picture." (Note all the wastecans by the outside doors of restrooms now. Perhaps some of us hygiene "nuts are responsible for getting them placed there.)

I carry "wash and dries" or moist alcohol handwipes in my purse, and because I eat out a lot, I use them before I eat. I also use them if someone around me has been coughing and sneezing. Although they are more effective for against viruses than bacteria, wash your hands with them briskly -- this will remove some of the bacteria.

We don't want to make you paranoid -- just careful.

By Bobbie on Tuesday, December 28

Here's another hygiene tip I read recently. When you flush the toilet, always shut the lid before flushing. This helps contain spores, etc. inside the toilet. Then flush again a second time.

I've listed this before, but when using a public restroom flush the toilet twice before and after using. Unfortunately, most public toilets don't have lids so stand back as far as you can or turn around before flushing.

By Patricia Christiansen R.N. on Thursday, January 27, 2005

It's time to keep ourselves and others safe. Be sure to use cool to warm water, (so as not to crack the skin letting infections set in) lots of friction of the hands while under running water. And, in my opinion, NO antibacterial soap. It just "beefs up" germs, and friction is really the way to get them off your hands. When using public restrooms, turn the water faucet off using a paper towel, then use that towel to open the door to the exit. I don't like restrooms that have the electric hand dryers. The towel keeps you from re-touching possible contaminated faucet and door handles. And by all means USE THE PAPER SEAT COVERS! This is the method we nurses are instructed by the infection control dept. I also use hand wipes to clean off the handles of shopping carts before I touch them. Who knows who's dirty hands, or kids mouths have been there! Hope I don't sound paranoid!

Hope this info helps.
Trish Christiansen, R.N. dishwithtrish2@comcast.net

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2005 6:08 pm by Bobbie

I just read a recent report about the water served on airplanes. It said about l7% of the water was "bad" --had sat in tanks on the airplanes so long it was contaminated by bacteria -- something we people with C. diff. don't need. The report said to drink only bottled water on the airplanes and not even the coffee. I always thought coffee was safe because the water was boiled and have had the decaf. on planes and when I was in London the last two times. Yet another worry.

The report said that the airlines are investigating this, but I know one of our poster's daughters has C. diff. and is flying to Europe soon so this is yet another caution.

By Rose on Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 08:00

Clorox is a far more effective for disinfecting that alcohol based products (though obviously, if all you have on hand is an alcohol based product like purell, it's better than nothing).

For people with long nails, be aware that bacteria can be harbored under your nails, so you might want to use a nail brush in addition to hand washing. Also, on the subject of nails, most hospitals have policies that disallow workers who have direct patient contact to wear false nails. It seems that there's something about these nails and/or the way they are affixed that particularly harbors bacteria.

Stopping the Spread of "Germs" by Bobbie

Stay home from work or school for at least the beginning of the illness when you are most contagious. (Although you can be contagious before the on set of symptoms.)

Cough or sneeze into a kleenix, or if you don't have one, your hands & then wash them ASAP without touching door knobs, etc.

Don't touch your eyes unless you hands are clean -- great way to spread "germs."
Last edited by Bobbie on Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:31 pm, edited 5 times in total.
Reason: updating

Bobbie
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Postby Bobbie » Thu Aug 25, 2005 1:38 pm

One of our posters, who is 4th yr. student in pharmacology, just posted this. Thx. to him for "inside" info. we, as patients, need to watch.

I don't have any problems with what you copied. Here is another tidbit of information people may or may not know about c. diff that I forgot to mention. C. diff spores are resistant to alcohol. ]Think about what hospitals use to "protect" healthcare workers from infectious disease. Look in any hospital room and you will find a canister of some alcohol based antibacterial gel which healthcare professionals routinely use to sanitize their hands after patient contact. Now we know that thorough handwashing practices are what is used to get rid of spores. How many healthcare professionals routinely wash their hands when they are doing rounds in a hospital? One estimate placed it at about 20%. Hospitals do have sinks in rooms but they are not used. Its inconveinant for docs or nurses to do this and only the attentive ones will.

To put it in a more blunt fashion. Imagine this scenario. Pt A across the hall just had major abdominal surgery and has an open wound. Doctor A has just finished up consulting with that patient and maybe even examined the wound which happens daily. What if they did some debridement? They take the protective gloves off and squirt some of that alcohol based gel in their hands and now come to YOUR room. What if the previous patient wasn't under contact isolation and they had c. diff? Now he or she is touching you? See the bigger picture here, especially because as patients and in the hospital, you are not always sanitary just because of the nature of the circumstances it may be easy to pass spores onto the tray of jello and broth they just put in front of you. It's amazing to me that hospitals and organizations are warned of these precautions but fail to implement them properly.

Best of luck,
Name Withheld
Doctor of Pharmacy 2006
Last edited by Bobbie on Thu Sep 01, 2005 3:28 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Postby Bobbie » Thu Aug 25, 2005 1:47 pm

Dr. McDonald at the CDC told me that alcohol-based products are not as effective as soap and water when killing bacteria, especially sprore producing ones. I use "Wash & Dries" a lot. He said they are effective against viruses but not bacteria but are bettter than nothing and use with "friction" motion -- rubbing up and down. It's the scrubbing motion with soap and water and length of time (time to sing "Happy Birthday") that removes the bacteria. I don't know about the spores.

When my son had surgery last sumer, no one washed their hands. He is 30 and told me not to say anything. Whe he was released, however, I called the head of infection control at the hospital, and they did a study. They informed me later that I could come up and "inspect." When I took my mother to ER last winter, they had alcohol dispensers on walls and everyone used them. The doctor also washed his hands in the sink.

I've seen med. personnel glove and then touch something and not reglove. I asked a doctor once to wash his hands when I was in the hospital, and he was insulted but did wash his hands. (Didn't do a good job by the way.) He said, 'Oh, I know we doctors are the worst offenders, but we are so busy."

CNN did another special on hospitals and unecesary infections last night. Paul Zahn did another show recently. Up to 90,000 people die from hospital related infectons every year in the US. Both programs stressed, "Tell your health care workers to wash their hands."

I wrote a poem in "Humor" I will post by my bed if I am ever hospitalized again. (God forbid.)

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Soap & Water More Effective Against C. diff.

Postby Bobbie » Tue Aug 30, 2005 3:08 pm

When I talked to the ViroPharma rep. (manufacurers of Vancocin) last week, he mentioned that washing with soap and water is more effective against bacteria (especially spore-producing ones like C. diff. ) than alcohol wipes (like Wash & Dries & Purell).

I contacted Dr. McDonald at the CDC. Here is his reply:

"Sorry for the delayed response. I have been meaning to get back to you before now but have been busy and afraid I don't have much in the way of firm answers anyway. It is true that alcohol is not effective in killing C. diff spores. Brisk scrubbing with alcohol containing products might be effective but we don't have proof of that either way right now.

We are continuing to see and increase in C. diff cases, at least through 2004 when we helped with a national survey of infectious disease physicians. Moreover we have identified an "epidemic strain" responsible for outbreaks since 2001. This same strain caused outbreaks in Quebec that were widely reported last summer and outbreaks in the UK and Netherlands over the past few months."

Suzanne contacted Dr. McDonald, and he advised her to:

. . to keep anyone away from home if they are old, ill, or on antibiotics. He said to clean well with Bleach and Clorox Clean Up. He believes that with good cleaning and time, the spores in the house will die.
Last edited by Bobbie on Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Postby Bobbie » Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:01 pm

Rose2 contributed the following info.

1. Regarding bathroom sink handles, if possible, it seems best to have the kind that are shaped like a horizontal stick so you can knock them on and off with your elbow, back of your hand, etc. (You can buy a set like this at Home Depot pretty inexpensively). It seems the worst designs that require the most handling are those that are round in shape that you need to grab with your whole hand to turn on and off. After doing thorough washing we need to pay attention to not re-exposing ourselves to the very bacteria we just washed off when we touch the handles to turn off the water.

2. Regarding flossing one's teeth: After brushing my teeth, I am careful to wash my hands again before flossing precisely because I have touched the sink handles again after brushing. After washing them, I make sure to use paper towels to turn off the handles. Then I floss. Flossing is an activity where we must be very careful not to reinfect ourselves since we have our hands in our mouth for quite a while.

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Postby Bobbie » Sun Mar 12, 2006 12:11 am

This is from an article in KC Star paraphrased

When you eat lunch at your desk, you're probably downing something else: bacteria. The typical desk has 10 million germs, phones have 25,000 germs per sq. in, and computer keyboards also harbor germs.

Wash you hands, esp. before eating, and wipe down your phone & other items regularly with alcohol or water-based disfectant wipes on computer components. Or, better yet, use a bleach wipe- not sure how good this is for the computer keyboards so use lightly.

Great info. for us germaphopes, huh?

I don't do this at home on a regular basis but did wipe off phone & computer keyboard when I worked and do at home if someone is ill (and I know it). Cell phones are wonderful because you don't have to use public phones. When I first got C. diff. in l993, I didn't have a cell phone and dreaded using public phones -- wiped mouthpiece off with "wash & dry."

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Postby Bobbie » Fri Jun 23, 2006 2:39 am

Insist your health care workers wash their hands!

Marcia contributed this hyperlink. (Also in Media Reports.)

http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/ar ... feat1.html

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To Best Kill C. diff. Spores

Postby Bobbie » Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:41 pm

Mixture of l part bleach to 9 parts water. Throw away what is left and make a new solution every 3rd or 4th day as evidently it loses its potency. See later post about bleach wipes.

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Computer Keyboard & Phones

Postby Bobbie » Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:16 pm

Computer keyboards & telephones are great ways to spread "germs." Disinfect with alcohol or Clorox wipes -- won't get all the bacteria but will help with viruses. Rubbing briskly will also remove some of the bacteria. Too bad we can't use bleach on plastic!

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Wash Your Hands -- Esp. in the Hospital

Postby Bobbie » Sun Apr 01, 2007 12:13 pm

Sheila posted this.

Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 Post subject: Protect Yourself - hospitalinfection.org

I found this informational from the hospitalinfection.org site. It's really good EXCEPT for #8, which recommends a prophylactic antibiotic prior to surgery.

Nice to see other places instructing that patients should ask their healthcare caregivers to wash their hands!

http://www.hospitalinfection.org/protectyourself.pdf

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Washing Hands

Postby Bobbie » Sat Feb 07, 2009 1:32 pm

Karen posted this.

Very interesting the percentage of stomach bugs you can avoid by doing this properly, and also interesting piece regarding paper towels vs. air blowers. Also, as Bobbie has written about...use a paper towel when turning tap off/on and opening doors:

http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-cent ... nds/313753

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New Product to Clean Hospital Rooms - Bioquell

Postby Bobbie » Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:43 am

Two of our posters contributed this info.

Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 Post subject: Cleaning patient areas by LindaSP.

Hello,
One of the hospitals I work for is instituting a cleaning system called Bioquell which uses hydrogen peroxide vapor to eliminate bacteria in patient care areas. I googled it , and it states it is effective in eliminating C diff, mrsa, etc....very interesting I thought...
Linda

anlockwood
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:41 pm

I read about this and it is considered the most effective way of ridding a room of c diff. It is top of the line. That is awesome. I really hope more hospitals begin using it.

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Re: Hygiene Tips

Postby Bobbie » Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:26 am

Amy supplied this info. Thx., Amy.

I found Clorox Commercial bleach wipes online and have made good use of them for a few days. Here's the link:

http://www.cloroxprofessional.com/produ ... -a-glance/

These can be found at some Home Depots and ordered on amazon.com.

Clorox 30577 Healthcare Bleach Germicidal Wipe (150 Count) by Clorox

... Clorox healthcare bleach germicidal wipes can be used almost anywhere ...
Health & Personal Care.

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Re: Hygiene Tips

Postby Bobbie » Thu Sep 27, 2012 2:25 pm

http://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-t ... ces.8.html
Germiest Places - Watch that restaurant menu!!

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Re: Hygiene Tips in Motels/Airplanes

Postby Bobbie » Thu Sep 27, 2012 2:31 pm

saw several news anchors talking recently regarding hotel room stays. Both said they take baggies with them and put them on the remote control for the TV because of all the "germs" that probably reside there. I usually "wipe down" the remote (but think "baggie" is better idea), the bathroom faucets, and any computer keyboard that is not mine. I have't used the bleach solution before - used to use Lysol when I thought it was effective - but I will from now on. (I carry a small bottle in my purse.) I also pull back the bedspread - ugh, who knows what "creatures" lurk there.

I've seen several tv programs that feature an exam of hotel rooms. Some of the "most expensive"ones were the worst. One show featured a video that showed a maid cleaning a room. She just wiped the used drinking glasses and put them back. I now carry disposable cups with me or get them from the hotel.

I usually sit at the back of an airplane because there are less "germs" there -- and I say "no ice cubes please" in drinks. Read one survey that said the ice cubes "sits there" forever. It also warned against airplane coffee but I have it anyway. Hope the heating kills some of the "germs."
Last edited by Bobbie on Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: updating


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