1. Clean your hands...
2. Remind caregivers to clean their hands...
4. If you are coughing or sneezing...
5. If you visit a hospital patient...
6. Get shots to avoid disease...
Speak Up ™ To Prevent Infection
1. Clean your hands...
• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Use soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
• Clean your hands before eating or touching food.
2. Remind caregivers to clean their hands...
• As soon as they enter the room.
• This helps prevent the spread of germs.
• Your caregivers may wear gloves for their own protection.
3. Stay away from others when you are sick...
• If possible, stay home.
• Don’ t share drinks or eating utensils.
• Don’ t touch others or shake hands.
• Don’ t visit newborns.
4. If you are coughing or sneezing...
• Cover your mouth and nose.
• Use a tissue or the crook of your elbow.
• Clean your hands as soon as possible after you cough or sneeze.
• Ask for a mask as soon as you get to the doctor’ s office or hospital.
• Keep a distance of about 6 feet between you and others.
5. If you visit a hospital patient...
• Clean your hands when entering or exiting the hospital.
• Clean your hands before going in or out of the patient’ s room.
• Read and follow the directions on signs posted outside the patient’ s room.
• You may be asked to put on a mask, gloves, a paper gown, and shoe covers.
• If sanitizer wipes are in the room, read the instructions. Some wipes are only for cleaning equipment and surfaces, and are not safe for skin.
• If you are unsure about what to do, ask the nurse.
6. Get shots to avoid disease...
• Make sure your vaccinations are current— even for adults.
• Help prevent diseases like the flu, whooping cough and pneumonia.
The goal of Speak Up™ is to help patients and their advocates become active in their care.
Speak Up™ materials are intended for the public and have been put into a simplified( i. e., easy-to-read) format to reach a wider audience. They are not meant to be comprehensive statements of standards interpretation or other accreditation requirements, nor are they intended to represent evidence-based clinical practices or clinical practice guidelines. Thus, care should be exercised in using the content of Speak Up™ materials. Speak Up™ materials are available to all health care organizations; their use does not indicate that an organization is accredited by The Joint Commission.
© 2018 The Joint Commission | May be copied and distributed | Department of Corporate Communications
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