Hand Hygiene and Infection Control

What is Infection Control?

Infection Control is an approach to practices performed in healthcare settings that prevent the spread of infection among patients, health care workers, and visitors. This approach works to prevent infections at home as well.

Why is Infection Control important?

In a hospital, patients are cared for by many healthcare workers in very close quarters. Frequent contact is made between people who have an infection or can spread one, and people who can easily become infected. Preventing infections is important to help patients recover quickly and stay healthy.

How can you prevent the spread of infection?

Hand hygiene is the term for regular handwashing and for hand sanitizers (alcohol gel).

• Handwashing; Use soap, water, rub hands together for 15 seconds, rinse hands, pat dry and turn off faucet with a paper towel.
• Hand sanitizer (alcohol gel); Apply, spread over hands and rub until dry.

When should you wash your hands?

• After using the restroom
• After changing a diaper
• Before and after eating, drinking or handling food
• After handling dirty items
• When your hands look dirty

When can you use the hand sanitizer (alcohol gel)?

• After coughing or sneezing
• After blowing your nose
• After touching someone or something
• After touching or coming into contact with a person who is sick with an infection

What about fingernails?

Many germs can survive under and around fingernails. Be sure to clean fingernails, paying special attention to these areas when you wash or use hand sanitizers (alcohol gel) for cleaning hands. Persons with artificial nails have more germs under and around their nails than those who do not wear them.

How are infections spread?

• By direct contact, such as touching an open wound with unwashed hands
• By indirect contact, such as sharing a drink, eating from the same utensil, biting from same sandwich/hamburger, etc.
• By being carried in droplets through the air, such as when people sneeze or cough

What kinds of infections may occur in hospitals?

• Pneumonia
• Blood infections
• Urinary tract infections
• Wound infections

Who can get an infection?

Anyone can get an infection, but some people are at increased risk because their immune system is weak. Others are at risk because they have had a procedure that, while saving their life, may have increased their risk of infection.

Who is at increased risk?

• Cancer patients
• Transplant patients
• Intensive care unit patients
• Patients hospitalized for a long time
• Patients with tubes for fluids or medications, for example, intravenous lines or urinary catheters
• Surgery patients
• Patients with open wounds and breaks in the skin

How does a person get an infection?

1. A germ must be present such as a bacteria, virus, fungus or parasite.
2. The germ must be alive, in a person, food, soil, animal or plant, or on a contaminated object.
3. The germ must be able to get into the person, through tubes, needles, or body sites (open skin, mouth, eyes, or nose).
4. The person must be unable to fight off the germ. The germ then grows and multiplies in the person. This is an infection.

In what other ways can you help to prevent infections?

• Always use good hygiene
• Do not share personal items such as toothbrushes, makeup, creams, or towels
• Taking an active role in your own and your loved one’s care
• Do not visit the hospital while you are ill with an infection
• Be aware of early signs of infection (redness, swelling, fever) and report them to your doctor or nurse
• Follow hospital instructions when visiting someone in the hospital
• Knowing infection control procedures and rules
• Ask your doctor or nurse your questions