Infection Prevention: 10 Ways To Protect Your Patients From Infection

October 20-26 is International Infection Prevention Week!

Protecting patients from infection is everyone’s responsibility. Join your healthcare colleagues in celebrating International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW) this week to help raise awareness of the importance of infection prevention. The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology  (APIC) initiated the formal commemoration of IIPW in 2006 and has been increasing awareness of infection prevention throughout the world.

APIC continues to lead the annual effort every third week in October to highlight the benefits of infection prevention. As awareness of IIPW continues to grow, more patients will benefit from safer healthcare practices and will reduce the threat of healthcare-associated infections. Although the focus of IIPW is only 7 days, infection prevention should become a daily commitment. APIC has created a helpful list providing healthcare professionals 10 ways to protect patients from infections. A one-page infographic has also been created by APIC illustrating the steps that patients can take to support infection prevention efforts in healthcare facilities and lower their risk of infections.

1. Wash or clean your hands before and after you provide care to a patient.
2. Use gloves the right way.
3. Get your shots-including your annual flu shot-and make sure everyone in your family does too.
4. Follow the rules of isolation for the patient’s protection.
5. Follow safe injection practices-remember One needle, One syringe, Only one time.
6. Make patient identification a priority: right drug, right time, right dose.
7. Keep the patient’s room and equipment clean.
8. Know when antibiotics are appropriate…and when they are NOT.
9. What you wear matters! Make sure your attire does not become a source of infection.
10. Know about the infection preventionist.

Please visit the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology website to discover more helpful resources that you can share with your colleagues, friends and family. As IIPW expands, more patients benefit from safer healthcare practices and reduced threat of healthcare-associated infections.