Hand Hygiene

Good hand hygiene is the single most important factor in preventing and controlling the spread of infections. Disease causing bacteria can frequently be found on our hands. 

What you can do to contribute to safe patient care:

• Clean your hands upon entering the facility, upon entering and when leaving a patient's room, and when requested in specialty areas.
• Don’t assume –ask your care provider (nurse, doctor, or other health care worker) if they have washed their hands before they provide you with care. Hand hygiene is everyone’s responsibility. It’s OK to ask others if they’ve cleaned their hands – it serves as a reminder that you are committed to safe patient care.

For the convenience of you and care-providers, we have placed hand hygiene stations with waterless hand products at all entrances and throughout our hospitals. Alcohol based hand rubs are the preferred method for cleaning hands if they are not visibly soiled.

Visitors, please review our:

• Infection prevention video
• Hand hygiene at St. Joseph’s
• Clean Hands Protect Lives- brochure
• Hand Washing Instructions- quick guide