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Health Protection
Reduce your risk
of a hospital-acquired infection
Planning a hospital
visit for a surgical procedure, diagnostic procedure, medical
intervention or to have a baby?
Here are some tips
to keep you safe from infection during your hospital stay.
- Ask your health care providers to clean their hands before
treating you. Ask your visitors to clean their hands
too.
- Before your doctor uses a stethoscope to listen to your
chest, ask that it be wiped with alcohol.
- If you need a "central line" catheter, ask your
doctor about the benefits of one that is antibiotic-saturated
or silver-chlorhexidine coated to reduce infections.
For surgery patients
-
Choose a surgeon
with a low infection rate.
- Beginning 3 to 5 days before surgery, shower daily with
4% chlorhexidine soap.
-
Ask your surgeon
to have you tested for Staphyloccus aureus at least one
week before you come to the hospital.
-
Stop smoking
well in advance of your surgery.
-
On the day
of your surgery, remind your doctor you may need an antibiotic
one hour before the first incision.
-
Ask your doctor
about keeping you warm during your surgery.
-
Do not shave
the surgical site.
-
Ask your surgeon
to limit the number of clinicians in the operating room
during your surgery.
-
Ask your doctor
about monitoring your glucose (sugar) levels continuously
during and after your surgery, especially if you are having
heart surgery.
-
Avoid a urinary
tract catheter if possible.
-
If you must
have an IV, make sure it is inserted and removed under
clean conditions and changed every 3 to 4 days.
When having a baby by Caesarean section
- If you are pregnant and planning on having your baby by
Caesarean section, follow the steps listed for surgery patients
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