Patient Safety

In addition to Standard Precautions, we implement Contact Precautions, or the equivalent, for specified patients suspected to be infected or colonized with epidemiologically important microorganisms that can be transmitted by direct contact with the patient (hand or skin-to-skin contact that occurs when performing patient-care activities that require touching the patient’s dry skin) or indirect contact (touching) with environmental surfaces or patient-care items in the patient’s environment.

• Gloves and Hand washing: We wear gloves when entering the room. During the course of providing care for a patient, change gloves after having contact with infective material that may contain high concentrations of microorganisms. Gloves are removed before leaving the patient’s room and wash hands immediately with an antimicrobial agent or a waterless antiseptic agent. After glove removal and hand washing, we ensure that hands do not touch potentially contaminated environmental surfaces or items in the patient’s room to avoid transfer of microorganisms to other patients or environments.
• Gown: In addition to wearing a gown as outlined under Standard Precautions, we wear a sterilized gown when entering the room when we anticipate that our clothing will have substantial contact with the patient, environmental surfaces, or items in the patient’s room, or if the patient is incontinent or has diarrhea, an ileostomy, a colostomy, or wound.