Summary: This week is National Patient Safety Awareness Week. One out of 20 patients pick up an infection while they're admitted to the hospital; children under five are more susceptible to some of the common infections. Here's what you need to know to keep your little one safe should he have to be hospitalized.
By Joanne Van Zuidam | Posted: March 7, 2014
In an effort to reduce hospital-acquired infections, the Children's Hospitals' Solutions for Patient Safety (SPS), a first-of-its-kind effort by children's hospitals across the country, is striving to improve patient safety — specifically the safety of the littlest of patients.
The network is comprised of 78 children's hospitals across the country. Among their goals: to achieve a 40 percent reduction in certain hospital-acquired conditions; a 20 percent reduction in read missions; and a 25 percent reduction in serious safety events by the end of 2014.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hospital-acquired infections are responsible for an estimated 1.7 million infections and 99,000 deaths each year. In fact, one out of every 20 patients developed an infection they picked up while hospitalized.
What's relevant to moms: children under five years old, in addition to the elderly and those with compromised immune systems, are more likely to get an infection.
The most common infections include surgical site infections, pneumonia, Clostridium difficile, urinary tract infections and bloodstream infections.
How to help make your child's hospital stay as safe as possible
A recent study about the alarming amount of bacteria found on a doctor's stethoscope is sure to make every mom ask the pediatrician to wipe down the tool before using on her child at a routine office visit, but what if your child is hospitalized?
Here, tips from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), one of the participating SPS hospitals:
Be an advocate for your child. Speak up and voice any concerns you may have about your child's care, whether it's asking questions about treatments, or requesting the healthcare provider double check her chart before proceeding with a treatment or medication.
Share your child's preferences with caregivers — no matter how small or trivial they seem. For instance, if your tot has a fear of animals or only likes to eat food that's been cut into small pieces, sharing that knowledge will help make your child's stay more comfortable.
Practice good hand hygiene. Wash your hands, and your child's hands, when entering or leaving a hospital, or any patient environment, such as his room, bathroom, exam rooms, etc. Also, be sure any healthcare provider (from doctors to nurses to aides) wash their hands as well. CCHMC recommends saying something like, "Excuse me, I didn't see you wash your hands. I'd like to be sure everyone's hands are clean. Please wash them before caring for my child."
Be skin savvy. Notify caregivers immediately if you notice any new redness or irritation on your child's skin. Also, if your child has a wound or an intravenous catheter, keep the skin around the dressing clean and dry. Alert caregivers if the dressing is wet or loose.
Be alert for medication mix-ups. Request a list of the medications that your child will be given, along with how it's expected to help them. To ensure your child is given the correct medication, be sure his caregiver checks your child's identification band before giving medication. If you don't see this precaution being taken, you might say, "Excuse me, that medication is not familiar to me. Can you please double check it against my child's chart?"
Practice safety once your child is home. After your child is discharged from the hospital, be sure you understand what medications your child will need at home. Also ask what you should watch for that will require a call and/or trip to the doctor's office.
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