Infection Prevention Tips - Floyd Valley Healthcare

Antiseptic Pre-Surgery Shower

Using the bottle of antiseptic solution provided to you:

Use a clean cloth and use half of the bottle of antiseptic to clean your body from your neck (just under your jaw) to your toes. The antiseptic kills germs that live on your skin. Germs that live on the skin are usually what cause post-surgery infections.
Clean the skin moving from cleaner body areas to dirtier body areas. (For example, start at the neck, move towards feet.) Be sure to cover all areas of your skin between your neck and your toes.
Do not allow solution to come into contact with your eyes or ears.
DO NOT roughly scrub your skin. This will damage the skin which increases the risk of infection. Your skin is your body’s #1 defense against infection when it is intact.
Perform a pre-surgery shower the night before your surgery. Repeat a pre-surgery shower the morning of your surgery.

Studies show that when patients take two antiseptic pre-surgery showers, their risk of getting a post-surgery infection is much lower.

Be sure all caregivers disinfect their hands before caring for you. Hands are the #1 way germs are spread from person to person.

If you have to cough or sneeze, try to do this into your forearm, sleeve or a tissue. Do not cover coughs /sneezes with your hands. If you do, disinfect your hands as soon as possible to prevent the spread of germs.
Use tissues one time only and then throw them away. This lowers the risk of spreading germs to others.
Encourage visitors NOT to visit if they have signs or symptoms of illness (cough, runny nose, congestion, fever, body aches, chills, etc.). This will help to keep you well.

Get out of bed as soon as you are able. Studies show that patients who are up and moving around soon after surgery have less risk of developing post-surgery pneumonia.
Every hour take 10 deep breaths. For each breath you take, cough deeply one time. Your caregiver will show you how to splint your incision during coughing and deep breathing, if necessary. Splinting helps to decrease the discomfort you may experience during coughing and deep breathing. Studies show that frequently coughing and deep breathing after surgery reduces the risk of developing post-surgery pneumonia.

Urinary catheters are sometimes necessary during surgery. To decrease the risk of infection, it is best to have your catheter removed within 2 days after your surgery. The less time your catheter is left in, the lower your risk of a urinary tract infection.

Clean hands are very important in preventing post-surgery wound / incision infections. All caregivers should disinfect their hands before touching your bandages or wound / incision. Please remind your caregiver to disinfect their hands if they forget. Disinfect your hands before you touch your bandage or incision.
Leave bandages in place for 48 hours after your surgery, unless instructed otherwise. It will take 24-48 hours for your incision to close well enough to prevent germs from getting in. Leaving your bandages in place for 48 hours decreases the risk of germs getting into your incision.
Soaking in a bathtub, pool, hot tub, etc. is not recommended until your incision has healed. Showers are recommended instead.

Antibiotics are sometimes needed after surgery to prevent infections. If you are given an antibiotic prescription, be sure to fill the prescription. Tell your caregiver if you need assistance getting your prescription filled.
Take your antibiotic EXACTLY as prescribed. DO NOT stop taking your antibiotic early. ALL of the antibiotic doses need to be taken as directed, in order to prevent or fight infection. If you stop your antibiotic early, you increase your chance of getting an infection.
Do not save antibiotics for later use. Take ALL doses of your antibiotic as directed. Using antibiotics later for a different infection can lead to drug resistance to the antibiotic. This means that this antibiotic may not be able to be used to fight infections for you in the future.

Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery, unless told otherwise by your surgeon. Also, do not chew gum, use mints or chewing tobacco.
Talk with your surgeon about which medicines you CAN take with a SIP of water. Please bring your medicines with you in their original containers.
If you are on a heart / blood pressure medication called a “beta-blocker” be sure to take it before surgery. Some common beta-blockers include:

Ask your surgeon if you should stop taking blood thinners such as Plavix or Coumadin, aspirin, ibuprofen or any other medications before surgery.
Tell your surgeon and others caring for you during your hospital stay if you currently have or have a history of drug resistant infections such as C. Diff (Clostridium Difficile), MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staph Aureus), or VRE (Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus). It may be necessary for staff to use special precautions during your care. It may also be necessary to give you antibiotics before or after surgery.