Infection Prevention Week Celebration kicks off Hand Hygiene Program

Selina Bolton, a Forrest General Acute Care Tech on 6T, exhibits the poster that will be displayed in hallways throughout the hospital, reminding visitors to clean their hands before and after visiting a patient. Bolton was part of the brainstorming committee that met to discuss how to implement the “It’s OK to Ask” program at Forrest General Hospital.

Forrest General Hospital observed Infection Prevention week by hosting a celebration for employees on Thursday, October 18.

The main focus of the celebration was the kick-off of the “It’s OK to Ask” Hand Hygiene Program at Forrest General. This national program’s goal, according to Forrest General’s Infection Prevention Department, is to make appropriate hand hygiene a priority for everyone that provides care for hospital patients, and to increase awareness for patients, caregivers and visitors. This program will focus hospital caregivers’ attention on performing appropriate hand hygiene in every patient encounter and also ensure that caregivers use good communication to let patients know that their hands have been cleaned appropriately. This program, “It’s OK to Ask,” also empowers patients to feel comfortable asking their caregivers if they have appropriately cleaned their hands. Through this program, the Infection Prevention Department also hopes to increase visitor awareness, to help them realize that they too have a part in fighting infection as they enter and exit the hospital.

Thursday’s celebration featured activities offering education on Infection Prevention procedures, as well as games and giveaways, such as hand sanitizer. Employees were encouraged to complete an infection prevention quiz, and were entered into a drawing for door prizes.

Celebrating Infection Prevention Week is one more way Forrest General is working to improve their commitment to quality health care and enhancing patient safety. “International Infection Prevention Week is an annual opportunity to acknowledge the important work that our health care providers do every day to reduce the risk and occurrence of health care associated infections,” said Cathy Blythe, Forrest General's Infection Prevention Officer.

For more information on Forrest General’s Infection Prevention Department, or the “It’s OK to Ask” Hand Hygiene Program, please contact FGH OnCall at 1-800-844-4445.