Infection, Prevention and Control - Infection Prevention when visiting adults in hospital - How you can prevent the spread of infection

Introduction

Hospital infections can be spread by patient to patient and by visitors.

This leaflet explains how you can help to reduce the spread of infection and maintain a safe, clean environment for your relative or friend to be cared for in.

Following the points in this leaflet can help to prevent vulnerable individuals picking up infection and spreading of infections.

Before you visit

Please do not visit the hospital if you have had diarrhoea and/or vomiting. You should not visit anyone in hospital until you are symptom free for 48 hours before you visit.

If you have a cold, influenza, a chest infection, or any symptoms of Coronavirus, do not visit. This is very important especially if you plan to visit a patient on the intensive care unit, oncology, or haematology.

If you have open wounds, please ensure they are covered with a clean, waterproof dressing to protect yourself from infection.

Have you had contact with people with infections?

Do not visit the hospital if you have been in contact with somebody who has an infection, as some infectious conditions, such as chicken pox, shingles and mumps are especially harmful to patients with a vulnerable immune system.

When you enter the ward/unit always report to the reception/ nurse’s station. The staff can advise you if you need to take any further precautions or wear personal protective equipment.

If you are unsure or require any other information the staff can give you the number of the Infection Prevention and Control team for advice.

Hand hygiene

The most effective way to reduce cross infection is to maintain good hand hygiene.

Washing your hands with soap and water or cleaning your hands with the alcohol gel provided at the entrance/exit to the ward is the best way to protect your relatives, friends and yourself.

In the case of infective diarrhoea, including viral diarrhoea and vomiting, if you assist your relative or friend you should wash your hands using soap and water.

How to wash your hands

You should wet your hands and then apply soap. Rub your hands together, paying particular attention to the back of your hands, in between fingers, fingernail beds and thumbs and rubbing up the wrist area.

Ensure you dry your hands thoroughly. There should be signage at each sink to help you if you are unsure.

Patients that are in isolation

If a patient is being nursed with special precautions in a single room or in a bay, please check with staff before entering.

Patients in isolation may need special precautions and staff/ visitors attending to patients may need to wear specialist personal protective equipment.

Speak to the nursing staff to find out if you need to take any of these precautions before visiting your relative/friend.

You should always perform hand hygiene upon entering and leaving.

General advice to Visitors

• To assist ward staff in maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness, only bring in essential items and try to keep patients’ personal belongings in the designated locker
• Co-operate with visiting times and the numbers of visitors allowed
• Please do not sit or lie on patients’ beds; use the chairs provided. Do not use the patient toilets
• Never touch patients’ wounds, drips, tubes etc. If you do so accidentally, please wash your hands immediately
• If you are visiting more than one patient, perform hand hygiene in-between them. You should visit non-infectious patients first
• Pre-packaged items of food that do not require refrigeration can be brought in for patients. Other food must be prepared following good food hygiene principles. It must be stored correctly in transit to the hospital and consumed immediately. If this cannot be guaranteed, the infection prevention and control team does not recommend that this be given to patients
• Please do not go into the ward kitchens unless you have been given specific permission from ward staff
• Children should not crawl on the floors and must always be supervised
• Flowers are not allowed at the hospital as they inhibit the cleaning processes
• Talk to the ward staff if you have any concerns about the cleanliness of the environment

Further information

We hope that you have found this information useful. If you have any questions or are worried about anything, please speak to hospital staff.

Author: Charity Petro, Infection Prevention & Control Lead Nurse

Written: September 2024 Adapted from Royal College of Nursing, Information for Patients - MRSA and other healthcare associated infections - how you can stop the spread of infection and stay well (April 2005).