This week is Infection Prevention Week, a time to raise awareness of how infections spread and how they can be prevented. Infection prevention is of great importance in a healthcare setting. In one 2011 study, it was discovered that a worrisome 1 in 25 patients ends up with some kind of secondary infection after spending time in a hospital. Some of these pathogens are incredibly dangerous, and to make things worse, widespread inappropriate use of antibiotics has led many of these organisms to evolve resistance. For nurses, physicians, and other healthcare workers, it’s important to break the chain of infection whenever possible to help keep patients protected.
The Chain of Infection
Both inside and outside of a healthcare setting, there are quite a few pathogens that can cause serious infections and illnesses. Bacteria and viruses propagate themselves by infecting new hosts, creating a “chain of infection.” This chain can be divided up into six links:
At any one of these six points, you can break the chain and take actions that help prevent the spread of disease. As healthcare professionals, nurses play a vital role in disease prevention.
6 Ways to Protect Your Patients
These six actionable steps can help you and your coworkers keep your patients protected from the pathogens that cause infections and diseases.
Wash Your Hands
It’s common sense, but hand washing is incredibly important. It’s estimated that fewer than half of healthcare workers clean their hands as often as they’re expected to. Here’s a recap of all the times during your workday that you should really be washing your hands.
When it comes to hand washing, you really can’t be too safe. Taking that extra 30 to 60 seconds to wash your hands again could keep you from missing work because of the flu — and could also save the life of an immunocompromised patient.
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