Prevent Hospital Infections
Reduce Your Risk During Your Stay
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 31 patients gets a healthcare-associated infection while staying at the hospital. Your healthcare team will work hard to prevent infections, but there are also steps you can take to protect yourself.
Superbugs
A superbug is a germ that causes a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection and doesn’t respond to standard treatments. These germs make you sicker longer and increase your risk of serious complications.
Prevent Pneumonia
Click here for more detailed information on keeping your lungs healthy.
Urinary Tract Infections
Click here for more detailed information on protecting urinary health.
Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (UTI)
Germs enter your urinary tract while using a tube to drain urine
- Fever
- Burning or pain in lower belly
- Bloody or frequent urination
- Clean hands before touching the area
- Keep urine bag below level of bladder to prevent backflow, and ask for it to be emptied regularly
- Don’t pull, twist, or bend tube
- Secure catheter to your leg and ask every day if it’s still needed
Surgical site infection
Germs affect the site of your surgery —either on your skin or internally
- Redness
- Pain
- Drainage of cloudy fluid
- Fever
- Clean hands before touching area
- Do not shave surgery site yourself (irritation increases risk of infection)
- Don’t let visitors touch or dress your wound
- Ask your nurse to show you how to care for your wound
Central line-associated bloodstream infection
Germs enter your bloodstream through a large tube that’s inserted in a vein near your neck, chest, or groin
- Red skin and soreness at site
- Fever
- Chills
- Clean hands before touching area
- Speak up if your bandage comes loose, looks wet or dirty, or if your skin looks sore
- Avoid touching tube or letting visitors touch tube
- Ask when tube can be removed
Ventilator-associated pneumonia
Germs enter your lungs through a tube in your mouth, nose, or neck used to help you breathe
- Cough with mucus
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever and chills
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Clean hands before touching area
- Ask if it’s safe to raise the head of your bed
- Know how often the inside of your mouth needs to be cleaned and speak up if needed to stay on track
- Ask when tube can be removed