February 20, 2007

CONTACT:
Communications Department
(320) 251-2700, ext. 74980

St. Cloud Hospital urges you to join the national patient safety effort

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud Hospital observes Patient Safety Awareness Week March 4-10.

Health care professionals throughout CentraCare Health System, of which St. Cloud Hospital is the largest entity, are committed to making sure patient care is as safe as possible. Patients are encouraged to play an active role by being a big part of the patient safety team. One of the new areas for focus is that of preventing infections.

“There are several simple, yet significant steps patients can take to ensure a safe and healthy stay while at the hospital,” said Sally Petrowski, Infection Control Specialist at St. Cloud Hospital. Whether you are the patient, family or friend, you can make a difference.

Here are four easy things you can do to fight the spread of infection:

1. Clean your hands.
Use soap and warm water. Rub your hands really well for at least 15 seconds.
Or, if your hands do not look dirty, clean them with alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Rub the sanitizer all over your hands, especially under your nails and between your fingers, until your hands are dry.
Clean your hands before touching or eating food. Clean them after you use the bathroom, take out the trash, change a diaper, visit someone who is ill, or play with a pet.

2. Make sure your caregivers perform hand hygiene and wear gloves.
Doctors, nurses, dentists and other caregivers come into contact with lots of bacteria and viruses. So before they treat you, ask them if they’ve performed hand hygiene.
Your caregivers should wear clean gloves when they perform tasks such as taking throat cultures, pulling teeth, taking blood, touching wounds or body fluids. Don’t be afraid to gently remind them to wear gloves.

3. Cover your mouth and nose.
Many diseases are spread through sneezes and coughs. When you sneeze or cough, the germs can travel 3 feet or more! Cover your mouth and nose to prevent the spread of infection to others.
Use a tissue! Keep tissues handy at home, at work and in your pocket. Be sure to throw away used tissues and then clean your hands.
If you don’t have a tissue, cover your mouth and nose with the bend of your elbow or hands. If you use your hands, wash them right away.

4. If you are sick, avoid close contact.
If you are sick, stay away from other people. Stay home if you have a fever. Call work or school and tell them you are sick.
When you go for medical treatment, call ahead and ask if there’s anything you can do to avoid infecting people in the waiting room.

Above all, remember to SPEAK UP at any time when you are concerned. We partner with you in your care.

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