This is the EASIEST thing you can have control over: The prevention of infection control. WASHING YOUR HANDS! And even ensuring those working with you, or even your patients, WASH THEIR HANDS TOO! If your patient is in isolation, for example, it is up to you to ensure your patient's safety and the safety of those also working with your patient.

1. D. D. Millett, RN, BS

2. Infection and Prevention Control
An infection acquired in the hospital is known
as a NOSOCOMIAL INFECTION, or HAI, for
Hospital-Acquired Infection.
These can be viral, fungal, or bacterial.
Germs are EVERYWHERE and they particularly
attack the patients who are weak, extremely ill,
or immunosuppressed.
Pneumonia, MRSA, and Urinary Tract Infections
are just several of these potentially life-
threatening diseases.
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4. Infection and Prevention Control
The areas of the hospital that contain the most
susceptible patients:
Labor and Delivery, New Mothers, and Infant Nursery
Special Care Units, like the ICU
Renal, or kidney, areas
Surgical Care
Operating Room, where there are open skin
surfaces.
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5. What the weak, ill, and immunosuppressed patients need are an
environmentally clean room and area, standard precautions,
medical staff that regularly wash their hands, and strong and
numerous antibodies to PREVENT and FIGHT infections.
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6. Infection and Prevention Control
100,000 people die each year from a
nosocomial infection.
These deaths can be contributed to the
multitudes of microorganisms that cause
approximately 1.7 million nosocomial infections a
year, per the Center of Disease Control.
Nosocomial infection costs the United States
over $45 Billion every year.
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8. HOW DO WE, AS NURSES, HELP TO CONTROL
NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS?
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9. HOW DO WE, AS NURSES, HELP TO CONTROL
NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS?
You should BRISKLY wash your
hands for 15 seconds: under your
nails, in between your fingers, your
fingers, and the backs and fronts of
your hands.
The time it takes you to sing
“Happy Birthday” is the time it SHOULD
take you to wash your hands.
May sound simple and obvious ~
but nurses are not ALWAYS washing
their hands and infections are
numerous…
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10. HOW DO WE, AS NURSES, HELP TO CONTROL
NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS?
When SHOULD you wash your hands?
Every time you have patient contact.
Every time you take off your gloves.
Every time you touch ANYTHING that may have germs.
Every time you change bed linens, towels, et cetera.
Every time you eat or do other personal things.
Every time you THINK THEY MAY BE DIRTY!
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11. HOW DO WE, AS NURSES, HELP TO CONTROL
NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS?
Cover your mouth and
nose when you sneeze or
cough.
Make certain that other
parts of the medical team are
washing their hands.
Teach patients and their
family how, when, and why,
they should wash their hands.
Wear face shields, gowns,
masks, and eye protection
when required.
Use Standard Precautions!
Follow Policy and
Procedures Precautions
Properly dispose of
hazardous materials.
Dispose of all sharps
CAREFULLY.
Get ALL of the
recommended shots to avoid
acquiring a disease or illness.
Get shots like Hepatitis, Flu,
Pneumonia, Shingles, et cetera.
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12. THE WRONG WAY
(sneezes travel up to 3 feet!)
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13. THE RIGHT WAY:
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14. Last, but not least, STAY
HEALTHY!!
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