Prevent Infections and Ask Caregivers to Wash Their Hands

• Wash hands with soap and water for 20-30 seconds
• Ask providers and caregivers to use alcohol-based hand rub or wash their hands with soap and water for 20-30 seconds
• Don’t ask for antibiotics for viral infections or when not needed
• If prescribed antibiotics, be sure to take the full course
• Remove devices (catheters, lines, drains, etc.) as quickly as possible (can lower risk of infection if no longer medically needed)
• Ask questions about/confirm medication instructions

View Speak Up to Prevent Infections View Speak Up to Prevent Infections

• Always wash hands with soap and water or sanitize hands with alcohol-based hand rub (if soap and water are not available).
• Make sure you’re washing your hands for 20 seconds by singing “Happy Birthday” twice.
• Learn more about handwashing at home, at play and out and about here.
• The following resources are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
  • Hand hygiene in health care settings: Clean hands count for safe healthcare
  • Hand hygiene at home, work, traveling or in the community: Clean hands save lives

Don’t let anyone touch you until you’ve seen them:

• Wash their hands
• Wash before putting gloves on
• Use instruments that are opened from sterilized packaging; or
• Wipe and sanitize instruments that will touch you

So, the next time you suspect a health-care worker may have skipped the soap or hand sanitizer, don’t hold back. Everyone benefits when fewer germs are spread around.

Resources and Tools:

• Video: Let's Talk About Step # 4 with Ed Pollak, MD, Medical Director and Patient Safety Officer, The Joint Commission
• Joint Commission infection prevention and control resources
• Joint Commission Speak Up to Prevent Infections
• How Face Masks Work and Which Ones Protect Best Against COVID-19
• Infection Prevention is Everyone’s Business
• Visit the TakeCharge website