Do you worry about picking up an infection if you have to visit a hospital?

[CBC News]

A significant number of Canadian hospitals are still reusing single-use medical devices and the vast majority of those that do sterilize or "reprocess" the devices in-house — a practice fraught with risk, infection control experts say.

But while there appears to be consensus that a national policy is needed and that the practice of in-house reprocessing ought to be banned, a regulatory void means that in many parts of the country hospitals can do as they wish when it comes to reuse of single-use medical devices.

Infections in hospitals are a huge issue. A recent investigation by CBC Marketplace showed some doctors and other health professionals are lax when it comes to hospital hygiene.

Marketplace found that one in nine hospital patients gets infections from germs they pick up during their care, and about 8,000 Canadians die of hospital infections every year.
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Do you worry about picking up an infection if you have to visit a hospital? Any stories you care to share.



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[karrie]

Why worry about the things we have no control over? I have no direct control over what the hospitals here do.

 

[tracy]

You have control over your behavior when you visit the hospital to see someone else. I wish people would stop visiting the sick like they are a tourist attraction. I wish they would wash their hands. I wish they wouldn't bring in their infants and toddlers and let them crawl around on the floor. ICK. Patients can also do most of these things and actually see that their healthcare workers wash their hands too.

 

[dirtylinder]

My Mom had staff infection (she got it in the operating room)so her laundry, dishes, and such were all treated with extra precautions.....then, the housekeeper came into her room to mop up after Moms drain from her wound had spilled onto the floor...the housekeeper then headed to mop up the next room, which is when I flipped, demanded her boss come instantly so she could be informed...both rooms were disinfected.

 

[karrie]

I haven't been to a hospital recently tracy that didn't instruct you to do all those things, including leave kids at home it at all possible. But, beyond following their orders... why actually worry about it? I picture myself lying there tense and upset over what might be creeping up on my system.... I doubt that helps prevent illness, given the effects stress has on the immune system.

 

[tracy]

You'd be surprised at how many people do the silly things I pointed out. I'm not saying worry about it, just do the things many hospitals suggest. Also, people need to be aware that staph infections are being acquired in the community now. There is almost no way to pinpoint the source of infections anymore. You could acquire the infection in the operating room, or it could have already been on your skin and the operation just gave it a chance to enter the body.