BOPDHB Patient Resources Hip and Knee joint replacement book - June 2016 | Page 74

General advice

• After they are exposed to body fluids.
• After touching your surroundings (e.g. bed) if none of the above
have occurred.

It’s OK to ask
We take hand hygiene seriously, however, we
are not perfect and there may be times when
we do not clean our hands as often as we
should. If you are worried that a staff member
has not cleaned his or her hands properly it is ok to
remind us, in fact, we welcome it.

What you can do
Germs are present all around us. When we are ill we are more at
risk of developing an infection from harmful bacteria or viruses that
we may pick up, either from something we have touched or from
someone passing it onto us. The risk of infection being spread from
a healthcare worker’s hands to you is reduced when they perform
correct hand hygiene. In addition, it is important that you clean your
own hands at the following times while you are in hospital:
• Before eating food.
• After using the bathroom.
• At any time a healthcare worker has advised you to do so (e.g.
caring for your own catheter).
If you have visitors, they can protect you from harmful germs by
cleaning their hands:
• Before they touch you.
• Before they give you food.
• After using the bathroom.
• At any other time a healthcare worker has advised them to do so
(e.g. assisting with your wound dressings).
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