Preventing infections during a hospital stay

The Institute of Medicine, the prestigious non-profit advising the nation and government on matters of health, reported recently that up to 98,000 people die each year from infections they acquire in hospitals – most of which could have been prevented. This guide will explain why this happens, and provides tips to preventing it from happening to you.

Germs and hospitals

Hospitals are places for very sick people, and very sick people have germs. Doctors, nurses and technicians who care for these very sick people come in contact with them in the most intimate of ways: via blood, urine and bodily contact. It doesn’t take much for germs to travel from one person’s hands to dozens of people every day. The problem for patients, however, is that their immune systems are weakened by whatever health condition they’re experiencing. If they’ve had surgery, the site of the wound is a prime destination port for germs, for example.

Protecting yourself and preventing infections

The American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Medical Association (AMA), and the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) created a patient education brochure, “Preventing Infections in the Hospital – What You as a Patient Can Do.” The following ten action steps are listed in their brochure as effective ways for patients to protect themselves from getting a hospital-acquired infection:

1. Wash your hands carefully after handling any type of soiled material – especially after you have gone to the bathroom.

2. Do not be afraid to remind doctors and nurses about washing their hands before working with you.

3. If you have an intravenous catheter, keep the skin around the dressing clean and dry. Immediately tell your nurse if the dressing becomes loose or wet.

4. Similarly, if you have a dressing on a wound, let your nurse know right away if the dressing becomes loose or wet.

5. If you have any type of catheter or drainage tube, let your nurse know if it becomes loose or dislodged.

6. If you are overweight, lose some excess weight. This will reduce the risk of infection following surgery.

7. If you are a smoker, consider a smoking cessation program. This will reduce the chance of developing a lung infection while in the hospital and may also improve your healing abilities following surgery.

8. Carefully follow your doctor’s instructions regarding breathing treatments and getting out of bed. 

9. Ask your friends and relatives not to visit if they feel ill. Make sure that all visitors wash their hands thoroughly when they come to visit and after they use the bathroom.

10. If you have diabetes, be sure that you and your doctor discuss the best way to control your blood sugar before, during, and after your hospital stay. High blood sugar noticeably increases the risk of infection.

You might also want to ask if the hospital participates in the NNIS system  - a voluntary infection monitoring program initiated by the Centers for Disease Control. NNIS stands for National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance; the term “nosocomial” means “hospital acquired.” Hospitals that participate in this program report significantly lower infection rates than those who don’t participate. If your parent does acquire an infection, ask the doctor for the exact name and spelling of the infection. Also ask to see someone from the Infection Control Unit (every hospital must have one) to explain the nature of the infection, and what best practices are being used to treat it.

The bottom line

• The Institute of Medicine, the prestigious nonprofit advising the nation and government on matters of health, reported recently that up to 98,000 people die each year from infections they acquire in hospitals – most of which could have been prevented.
• The American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Medical Association (AMA), and the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) suggest ten things patients can do to prevent infections. These include ensuring that bandages are dry and clean and ensuring that visitors wash their hands thoroughly upon arrival.
• You might also want to ask if the hospital participates in the NNIS system – a voluntary infection monitoring program initiated by the Centers for Disease Control. Hospitals that participate in this program report significantly lower infection rates than those who don’t participate.