Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections
A healthcare-associated infection is an infection that develops when a person is receiving medical care in a health care setting, such as:
A hospital.
An outpatient clinic.
A doctors’ office.
A long-term care facility, such as a nursing home.
A hemodialysis unit.
A surgery center.
You get this kind of infection when receiving medical care for something else. Common types of healthcare-associated infections include:
Bloodstream infections from IV lines.
Bacterial infections that do not respond to usual antibiotics, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Urinary tract infections from urinary catheters.
Surgical wound infections. …show more content…
U.S. health care agencies and experts have developed a plan to reduce these kinds of infections. This plan is called the "National Action Plan to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections: Roadmap to Elimination." It details what health care sites should do to prevent these infections.
If you need a catheter or IV, ask how long you will need it for.
If you are having surgery, ask if you should shower with an antibacterial soap on the morning or night before your surgery.
If you have a skin infection that causes redness, pain, discharge, and fever, let your health care provider know right away.
Wash your hands often, and make sure your health care providers wash their hands before and after attending to you.
Do not expect to get antibiotics for every cold or infection. If you are prescribed an antibiotic, ask your health care provider if you should have testing to make sure it is the right antibiotic. Also ask if you really need the antibiotic.
Get a flu shot every year.
Do not smoke.
WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?
HealthyPeople.gov:
A healthcare-associated infection is an infection that develops when a person is receiving medical care in a health care setting, such as:
A hospital.
An outpatient clinic.
A doctors’ office.
A long-term care facility, such as a nursing home.
A hemodialysis unit.
A surgery center.
You get this kind of infection when receiving medical care for something else. Common types of healthcare-associated infections include:
Bloodstream infections from IV lines.
Bacterial infections that do not respond to usual antibiotics, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Urinary tract infections from urinary catheters.
Surgical wound infections. …show more content…
U.S. health care agencies and experts have developed a plan to reduce these kinds of infections. This plan is called the "National Action Plan to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections: Roadmap to Elimination." It details what health care sites should do to prevent these infections.
If you need a catheter or IV, ask how long you will need it for.
If you are having surgery, ask if you should shower with an antibacterial soap on the morning or night before your surgery.
If you have a skin infection that causes redness, pain, discharge, and fever, let your health care provider know right away.
Wash your hands often, and make sure your health care providers wash their hands before and after attending to you.
Do not expect to get antibiotics for every cold or infection. If you are prescribed an antibiotic, ask your health care provider if you should have testing to make sure it is the right antibiotic. Also ask if you really need the antibiotic.
Get a flu shot every year.
Do not smoke.
WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?
HealthyPeople.gov: