Allied Health Care: Infection Control

The number one thing you can do to protect the patient you are visiting is to wash your hands! Also, it is important to cover your cough. Please DO NOT come to visit the patient if you are sick or have signs or symptoms of infection (e.g. fever, cough, skin rash…). In certain situations, you may be asked to wear gloves, gowns, or masks for added protection. See the patient's nurse if you need assistance with wearing these items.  

The number one thing you can do to reduce the risk of infection is to make sure that anyone coming into your room (e.g. visitors, doctors, nurses) has washed their hands with soap and water or cleaned their hands with alcohol based rub. We encourage you to ask our staff if they have practiced hand hygiene before caring for you. Tell your visitors and family to NOT visit you if they are sick or have symptoms of infection (e.g. fever, cough, skin rash…). 

In many instances, patients on isolation precautions can leave their room with assistance. You may be required to wash your hands, change into a clean patient gown, and wear protective gear such as a surgical mask when leaving your room. It is important to have clean clothing and clean hands when leaving your room. Certain health conditions, however, may require you to stay in your room.

Staphylococcus aureus or "Staph" is a very common germ on the skin and in the nose. This germ does not cause medical problems for most people who have it on their skin. But sometimes it can cause serious infections such as skin or wound infections, pneumonia, or infections of the blood. Antibiotics are given to kill Staph germs when they cause infections. Some Staph germs are resistant, meaning some antibiotics cannot kill them. "Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus" or "MRSA" is a type of Staph that is resistant to some of the antibiotics that are often used to treat Staph infections.  

VRE refers to vancomycin-resistant enterococcus. Enterococcus is a germ that lives in the intestinal tract and the female genital tract. Usually, enterococcus does not cause medical problems. Such instances are referred to as colonization. Occasionally, enterococcus can cause an infection of the urinary tract, bloodstream, or wounds. Vancomycin is an antibiotic that can be used to treat those infections. However, some enterococcus germs are no longer killed by vancomycin and are known as vancomycin-resistant enterococcus or "VRE." These germs are often resistant to many antibiotics in addition to vancomycin.

Clostridium difficile (pronounced Klo-STRID-ee-um dif-uh-SEEL), also known as "C.diff" (See-diff), is a germ that can cause diarrhea. Most cases of C. diff infection occur in patients taking antibiotics. The most common symptoms of a C. diff infection include: watery diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite, nausea, and belly pain and tenderness.

Once you have tested positive for MRSA, it is SHC's policy to apply special precautions as recommended by the CDC during each encounter we have with you for a specified period of time. In some instances Contact precautions are discontinued completely for former MRSA patients. At SHC patients "colonized" with MRSA in the nose are not isolated. This is viewed as an appropriate step for institutions that have low rates of MRSA, like ours.

Once you have tested positive for VRE, it is SHC's policy to apply special precautions as recommended by the CDC during each encounter we have with you for a specified period of time.

Patient safety is always Stanford's top priority. The Stanford Infection Prevention & Control Department (IPCD) actively implements a comprehensive infection prevention program including numerous interventions to prevent healthcare associated infections:

• Active surveillance program: the IP&C Department has been monitoring infection rates and trends daily. Among these are: central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), surgical site infections (SSIs), ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP), multiple drug resistant organism infections, and C. difficile diarrhea.
• The IP&C Department has implemented a hand hygiene program: staff hand hygiene compliance rates are audited and calculated.
• The IP&C Department coordinates with clinical leaders to implement BEST PRACTICE programs, and intervention bundles, to prevent healthcare associated infections (e.g. CLABSI, CAUTI, SSI, VAP…). A "bundle" is a group of scientific evidence-based interventions based on best practice guidelines.
• The IP&C Department collaborates with Housekeeping Services to implement an environmental disinfection and cleaning program.
• The IP&C Department evaluates and updates the Infection Control Risk Assessment and Infection Control Plan annually and periodically when there is a need to immediately stratify our action plans to include the latest scientific evidences and technology into our program to ensure patient safety.

Select rates are now publicly reported and can be viewed on the California Department of Public Health website. (http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/hai/Pages/default.aspx)