SHC Weekly 1.1

The purpose of this newsletter is to provide information and updates on infection prevention & control and safety issues that is relevant to your work at the Student Health Center. We hope you find the information informative and useful.

INAUGURAL EDITION

Edition 1.1 | 1

In this Edition Featured Articles Click on the page numbers below to jump to a section!

Flu Vaccine Fun!

Page 3

SHC Hand Hygiene

Page 9

Hand Hygiene How To’s

Page 10

Make Safety Contagious Page 12 Cover Your Cough

Page 13

For more information about the topics presented in this newsletter, please refer to the “S” Drive Policy Section or the Infection Prevention and Control Manual located in the cupboard of every nursing station.

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Flu Vaccine Fun! What flu viruses does this season’s vaccine protect against?

Flu vaccines are designed to protect against the influenza viruses that experts predict will be the most common during the upcoming season.

Three kinds of influenza viruses commonly circulate among people today: Influenza A (H1N1) viruses, influenza A (H3N2) viruses, and influenza B viruses. Each year, these viruses are used to produce seasonal influenza vaccine.

The 2013-2014 trivalent influenza vaccine is made from the following three viruses: • an A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus • an A(H3N2) virus antigenically like the cell-propagated prototype virus A/ Victoria/361/2011; • a B/Massachusetts/2/2012-like virus

Did you know?

Click here to take your Flu IQ quiz!

The SHC has a policy to protect SHC staff, patients, volunteers and student assistants, interns, etc., from contacting or spreading contagious diseases, this includes an annual Flu Vaccine and Tuberculosis Screening and Testing.

Policy 2.8.1 in the Infection Prevention and Control Manual

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WHAT happens get the flu?

• Illness can start 1 to 4 days after exposure • It can make other health problems worse, cause pneumonia, or lead to death (mostly in those 65 and older) • People may be able to spread the flu to others 1 day before they feel sick and up to 5 days after getting sick

Don’t suffer from the flu.

Flu shots are fast, safe, and free.

G E T YO U R F LU S H OT H E R E :

Student Health Center beginning October 1st!

www.publichealth.va.gov/In

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s when people

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Influenza season is here!!!

Who needs a flu vaccine? a. You b. You c. You

d. All of the above.

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read the sp s! m of ger

Flu Sh ot Clin ics for Stude nts

will be he Octobe ld r Novem 28, 29 ber 5t h in the Vintag e Room

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Hands In who has cleaned their hands?

Clean hands save lives.

Clean your hands Say no to infection

Did you know?

The SHC is currently updating our hand hygiene policy to ensure we are following nationally recognized guidelines.

Remember, hand hygiene is the #1 way to prevent the spread of infections.

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SHC Hand Hygiene Purpose Effective hand hygiene reduces the incidence of healthcare-associated infections.

Procedure 1. Indications for Hand washing and Hand rubbing A. Indications for Hand washing a. When hands are visibly dirty or contaminated with proteinaceous material or are visibly soiled with blood or other body fluids, wash hands with either a nonantimicrobial soap and water or an antimicrobial soap and water. b. Before eating and after using a restroom, wash hands with a non-antimicrobial soap and water or with an antimicrobial soap and water. c. Hand washing may also be used for routinely decontaminating hands in the following clinical situations: • Before having direct contact with patients • Before inserting indwelling urinary catheters, peripheral vascular catheters, or other invasive devices that do not require asurgical procedure • After contact with a patient’s intact skin (e.g., when taking a pulse or blood pressure, and lifting a patient) • After contact with body fluids or excretions, mucous membranes, non-intact skin, and wound dressings, even if hands are not visibly soiled.

• When moving from a contaminated body site to a clean body site during patient care.

• After contact with inanimate objects (including medical equipment) in the immediate vicinity of the patient.

• After removing gloves.

B. Indications for Handrubbing a. If hands are not visibly soiled, an alcohol-based hand rub may be used for routinely decontaminating hands in the following clinical situations:

Policy All members of the healthcare team will comply with current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hand hygiene guidelines.

• Before having direct contact with patients • Before inserting indwelling urinary catheters, peripheral vascular catheters, or other invasive devices that do not require a surgical procedure • After contact with a patient’s intact skin (e.g., when taking a pulse or blood pressure, and lifting a patient) • After contact with body fluids or excretions, mucous membranes, non-intact skin, and wound dressings, only if hands are not visibly soiled • When moving from a contaminated body site to a clean body site during patient care • After contact with inanimate objects (including medical equipment) in the immediate vicinity of the patient • After removing gloves 2. Gloves and Hand Hygiene Gloves reduce hand contamination by 70 – 80 percent, prevent cross-contamination and protect patients and health care personnel from infection. However, the use of gloves does not eliminate the need for hand hygiene.

A. Wear gloves when contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials (other body fluids, secretions and excretions), mucous membranes, non-intact skin and contaminated items will or could occur.

B. Change gloves during patient care if moving from a contaminated body site to a clean body site.

C. Remove gloves promptly after use, before touching non-contaminated items and environmental surfaces, and before caring for another patient.

D. Decontaminate hands after removing gloves.

References To access the CDC’s hand hygiene guidelines in their entirety, see the CDC website at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/ preview/mmwrhtml/rr5116a1.html Edition 1.1 | 9

Hand Hygiene How-to’s How to Handwash?

WASH HANDS WHEN VISIBLY SOILED! OTHERWISE, USE HANDRUB Duration of the entire procedure: 40-60 seconds

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Wet hands with water;

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Apply enough soap to cover all hand surfaces;

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Right palm over left dorsum with interlaced fingers and vice versa;

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Palm to palm with fingers interlaced;

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Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm and vice versa;

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Dry hands thoroughly with a single use towel;

Rub hands palm to palm;

Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked;

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Rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of right hand in left palm and vice versa;

Rinse hands with water;

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Use towel to turn off faucet;

Your hands are now safe.

All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this document. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use.

WHO acknowledges the Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (HUG), in particular the members of the Infection Control Programme, for their active participation in developing this material.

May 2009

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How to Handrub?

RUB HANDS FOR HAND HYGIENE! WASH HANDS WHEN VISIBLY SOILED Duration of the entire procedure: 20-30 seconds

1a

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Apply a palmful of the product in a cupped hand, covering all surfaces;

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Right palm over left dorsum with interlaced fingers and vice versa;

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Palm to palm with fingers interlaced;

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Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm and vice versa;

Rub hands palm to palm;

Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked;

8

Rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of right hand in left palm and vice versa;

Once dry, your hands are safe.

All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this document. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use.

WHO acknowledges the H么pitaux Universitaires de Gen猫ve (HUG), in particular the members of the Infection Control Programme, for their active participation in developing this material.

May 2009

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Make Safety Contagious • Practice hand hygiene.

• Wear gloves when there is a chance of contact with blood, body fluids, secretions or excretions, or with any items contaminated with these fluids.

• Gowns are necessary whenever clothing is likely to be soiled by secretions, excretions, blood or bodily fluids.

• Wear a mask or face shield if there is any possibility of splashing of body fluids.

"Thumbs up for Safety" Bill Her, MA showing us all how it's done.

Photo by Lisa Knotts, RN, BSN

Did you know?

Transmission of viral and bacterial pathogens is an ever-present safety risk for healthcare providers. That’s why the SHC follows STANDARD PRECAUTIONS. Failure to adhere to standard precautions is a major source of outpatient infections.

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Cover Your Cough Stop the spread of germs that can make you and others sick Respiratory etiquette applies when patients with a communicable disease enter your facility. It consists of signage, provision of tissues and waste containers, instructions on how to cough and sneeze, and use of surgical masks.

To Do L ist •

Cover y our mout h and no tissue w se with a hen you cough or s neeze.

• Put y our used t issue in basket. the was te • If you don’t ha ve a tiss sneeze ue, cough into your or upper sle elbow, no eve or t your ha nds.

• You m ay be as ked to p facemas ut on a k to prot ect othe rs.

• Wash your han ds often and war with soa m water p for 20 s econds.

• If soa p and wa ter are use an a not avail lcohol-ba able, sed han d rub.

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Name: Complete the following by Friday at 5pm and turn it into the Administration Office to be entered into our weekly drawing.

List three things you learned from this Newsletter: 1.

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SHC Weekly Word Find!

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1. bacteria 2. cold 3. disease 4. flu

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