You Have the Right to Clean Hands Initiative

Each year over two million Americans contract a preventable hospital-acquired infection (HAI). Of these some 100.000 will needlessly die from complications arising from the infections (as many Americans each year as do AIDS, breast cancer, and auto accidents combined).

The main cause for these needless deaths is a deadly bacterium called MRSA or Methicillin-Resistant Stapylococcus Aureus. About three million Americans carry this bacterium without knowing it and without being sick. However if the bacterium enters their body through a break in their skin -- during surgery, a laceration, or even a needle-prick -- it can lead to a serious infection and even death.

What can you do?

Know if you carry MRSA

Ask your doctor to test you (through a nasal swab) for carrying MRSA, especially before getting admitted to any hospital or undergoing any surgical like procedure. If you carry MRSA you can get decolonized by applying an antimicrobial nasal ointment twice daily and take Chlorohexadine showers for five consecutive days.

Ask your doctors to wash their hands

Ask your health care providers to wash their hands and use an alcohol hand rub before and after touching you. Preferably they need to do that in view of you.

Ask your care providers at the hospital what they do to prevent MRSA transmission and infection.

Links:

Understanding MRSA Prevention

Mayo Clinic

Positive Deviance