Each year, 99,000 Americans die from infections acquired in hospitals. Here are eight easy steps you can take to make sure your hospital stay is as safe as possible:
> Ask your health care providers to wash their hands before touching you.
> Make sure providers put on new gloves. And make sure they wash their hands before donning them.
> Ask for verification that medical equipment is sterile and that syringes haven't been previously used.
> Ask to be checked'and treated, if needed'for MRSA before any major medical procedure.
> If you're having surgery and the site needs to be shaved, ask that clippers be used. Razor cuts are susceptible to infection.
> Stay warm before surgery. A warm body better resists infections.
> Ask your doctor if there are any skin disinfectants you should use at home, particularly in the days before a surgery.
> Catheters are a major source of infection; make sure you absolutely need it before allowing catheterization. If you do, make sure your providers remove it the moment it's no longer needed.
