How Can You Prevent an Infection?
Many healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are preventable. Learn how you can help protect yourself and your family by reviewing the tips below. This information could save your life or the life of someone you care about.

Patients

• Make sure to clean skin, particularly the surgery site, the morning of the procedure or surgery.
• Talk with your physician about what pre-surgery/procedure steps the hospital will take to prevent infection.
  • These steps will generally include bathing the procedure area with an antiseptic, applying a skin prep solution using an applicator that avoids skin contact between the patient and healthcare professional. The skin prep solution should be one that remains active in the presence of blood, serum, and other protein-rich biomaterials to resist recontamination of the patient’s skin and offer persistent antibacterial activity for at least 48 hours
  • Cover your nose and mouth with tissue when you cough and sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Observe hand washing and glove use of the healthcare professionals taking care of you. Don’t be afraid to ask them to wash their hands again or to get a new set of gloves.

Parents/Children

• Wash hands and upper arms prior to and after touching your child. Wash your hands prior to and immediately after touching your child prior to, during, or immediately after your child’s procedure.
• Please consult your surgeon prior to surgery for pre-procedure/surgery bathing instructions.
• Talk with your child’s physician about what pre-surgery/procedure steps the hospital will take to prevent infection.
  • These steps will generally include washing the procedure area with an antiseptic and applying a skin prep solution using an applicator that avoids skin contact between the patient and healthcare professional. The skin prep solution should be one that remains active in the presence of blood, serum, and other protein-rich biomaterials to resist recontamination of the patient’s skin and offer persistent antibacterial activity for at least 48 hours.
• Observe hand washing and glove use of the healthcare professionals taking care of your child. Don’t be afraid to ask them to wash their hands again or to get a new set of gloves.
• Ask your child’s nurse about the hospital’s policies on toys. Some don’t allow people to bring in toys from home.

• Healthy or not, cover your cough when in the presence of patients
• Wash your hands before, during, or after visiting a patient in the hospital
• If appropriate, wear hospital protective attire when visiting loved ones and friends at the hospital