The number one thing you can do to help prevent an infection is to make sure that all doctors, nurses, aides, and other health care providers wash their hands before and after they care for you. They can use soap and water or an alcohol based hand sanitizer.

If you do not see them clean their hands, please ask them to do so. It is your right to expect and receive the best care possible.

Where You Can Go To Get More Information:

The Questions and Answers About Health Care-Associated Infections page from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web Site contain information on:

• What hospitals are doing to prevent infections
• What you can do to help prevent an infection
• What you need to do when you go home from the hospital

Click on a link below to find out more information about preventing:

• Surgical Site Infections
• Catheter-Associated Bloodstream Infections
• Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections
• MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
• Clostridium difficile (C. diff)
• Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia