What You Need to Know about Hand Hygiene
Why is hand hygiene
important?
Whether recovering from surgery or being treated for an
illness, hospital patients may have decreased immunity leaving them at
increased risk of infection from germs. Infections
can have a serious impact on patients and increase the length of hospital
stays. One of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce infection is
for all staff, patients, and visitors to practice good hand hygiene.
What is good hand hygiene?
Good hand hygiene means washing with either alcohol-based
hand rubs or soap and water to stop the spread of germs. By stopping the spread
of germs, we can reduce infections among patients.
Our commitment to you
Our staff at FTMC is committed to good hand hygiene because
we know it is one of the easiest ways to help keep patients as safe and healthy
as possible. All caregivers should clean their hands before and after contact
with patients and their surroundings.
Hand hygiene is
everyone’s business
Patients and visitors have an important role to play in
ensuring hand hygiene throughout the hospital.
- Visitors should clean their hand
each time they enter or leave a patient’s room.
- Patients and visitors should never touch wounds, dressings, intravenous
lines or other instruments be used to treat a patient.
- Patients should have good personal
hygiene, especially in the hospital, including cleaning hands after using
the bathroom and before meals.
It’s okay to ask
As part of your role in the fight against infection, please
know that “It’s OK to ask.” Our staff
can become very busy, and if you are in doubt that your doctor, nurse or
health-care provider cleaned their hands, please remember, “It’s OK to ask.”
It takes a strong
commitment from employees, physicians, patients, and visitors to be successful
in keeping our patients safe. We appreciate your help.