The  Inservice  Club  for  Nursing  Assistants In  the  Know D o you ever get so  busy  on the  job that you forget to wash  your hands?   It takes  a  lot of time  to  stop  and  scrub  your hands all the time,  right?   It doesn't hurt to skip the routine once  in a while, right?   WRONG! G erms gather on  your hands  as you  perform daily  activities.   By  not washing  your  hands you can catch, or  pass on, a number of  illnesses--from the common cold to more serious diseases like hepatitis.   Most cases of diarrhea and vomiting are caused  by inadequate  handwashing.   Handwashing is the single most important means of  preventing the  spread of infection!   Many of us  don't  know  that  the germs we carry  on  our hands  can  cause illnesses  like diarrhea,  colds, salmonella  and  other serious infections.   N ever forget that with  a  little soap  and  water you can prevent many  diseases.   Wash your  hands...and away goes infection down  the drain!   Use a few  pennies worth  of soap  and make a huge  difference in  your clients' and your family's health.   "Wash  your  hands ...and  away  goes infection  down  the drain!" Infection  Control: It's  in  Your  Hands! Save  Lives  and  Money! If  you  think  that  handwashing  isn't  really  such  a  big  deal,  think  about  this: • The  cost  of  treating  infections  that  antibiotics  can't  cure  is  $4  billion  every year!   Regular handwashing  can  reduce the  spread of these tough bacteria. • Infectious     diseases     are    the     leading     cause     of     death    in    the    world!   Handwashing  is  the best defense against infectious diseases. • There are 80 million cases of food poisoning in the U.S. every year.  At least half of them could  be prevented  with  proper  handwashing! • Over  30,000  patients  every  year  die  from  an  infection  they  picked  up  in  a health care setting!  In addition to costing people their lives, these infections (called nosocomial infections) cost the U.S. $4.5 billion annually.  Health care workers   who   don't   wash   their   hands   are   the   main   cause   of   nosocomial infections! • Nosocomial  infections  are  the  most  common  immediate  cause  of  death  in nursing home clients!   • Between  5% and 18%  of all patients have an active infection  right  now!   Help  save lives and money  by  washing your hands according  to  your agency's policy.                                    Statistics  are  from  the  Center  for  Disease  Control  (CDC) Published  By: In  the Know,  Inc. 306 Brandermill Drive Durham, NC   27713 (919)  403-8979 Copyright  1998  In  the  Know,  Inc.   May  be  copied  for  use  within  each physical  location  that  purchases membership  in  the  Inservice  Club.