Monday, October 15, 2012
London Health Sciences Centre and St Joseph's Health Care, London
Spread Knowledge, Not Infection!
The most effective way to prevent the transmission of infection is through good hand hygiene practice. During National Infection Control Week, October 15-19, London Health Sciences Centre and St Joseph's Health Care London are reminding patients and visitors they too can, “Spread knowledge, not infection!” by cleaning their hands while in our facilities. It's important that patients and visitors remember to wash their hands with soap and water or with the alcohol based hand rub located inside and outside each patient room and at all entrances. It only takes 20-30 seconds to stop the spread of infection.
Both LHSC and St Joseph's continue to work to ensure staff and physicians practice good hand hygiene through ongoing infection prevention education, participation in provincial hand hygiene campaigns and by installing alcohol-based hand rub at patients' bedsides and throughout our facilities. We have also included our hand hygiene rates as part of our Quality Improvement Plan key indicators.
“At St Joseph's Parkwood Hospital, we have challenged our care providers to commit to achieving 100% hand hygiene compliance at all four major moments of care through a 'Pledge to Hand Hygiene' that staff have signed and posted in care areas. It speaks to ensuring to clean our hands, holding each other accountable and thanking those who remind us to wash our hands,” says St Joseph's Interim Director of Infection Control Debra Wiltshire.
“Hand hygiene behavior is the responsibility of every individual,” says Cathy Vandersluis, Director of Infection Safety, LHSC. “Patients can help by asking if their health care provider has washed their hands before they start an examination. Visitors need to remember to wash their hands before and after they visit their loved one.”
LHSC and St Joseph's continue to build on previous strategies to increase hand hygiene. Hand hygiene is the primary measure for enhancing patient safety by reducing healthcare associated infection and the spread of antimicrobial resistant bacteria.
Media Contact:
Kelsi Break
Communication Consultant
519-646-6100 ext 64792
Kelsi.Break@sjhc.london.on.ca
Sarah Muto
Communication Consultant
519-685-8500 ext 77062
sarah.muto@lhsc.on.ca
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