By Michelle Vignari RN, BSN, CIC
Infection Preventionist, Independent Infection Prevention Consultant
Prioritizing how and where to prevent hospital infections is easier said than done. With threats to patient safety in and out of the front door daily, where to focus your attention and remain consistent can be a challenge. Implementing a series of infection prevention (IP) procedures that are enforced and followed by every member of every department will allow your hospital to operate without disruption. But how does your team decide on which IP strategies to employ? The best first course of action is to ensure the basics are being implemented to success throughout your hospital system.
#1: Hand Hygiene
Yes, hand washing might be the simplest approach to preventing the spread of infections, but its importance cannot be stated often enough by and to even the most senior members of any hospital. The CDC goes as far as saying it should be incorporated into the entire culture of an organization. While hospital personnel might have hand hygiene down to a science, incorporating signage on the importance of hand washing throughout the hospital will impart that message to patients and visitors, critical stakeholders in IP practices.
Many infection preventionists recommend a “clean in, clean out” approach, wherein hands and equipment are cleaned or disinfected on the way into the patient’s room and on the way out again.