Here are some questions that we are often aslked by patients and visitors.
If you have any questions that you think could be useful to add to the FAQ section, please contact us at ipc@nth.nhs.uk
Q. What do I do if a doctor or nurse doesn't wash their hands before examining me?
A. You should ask them if they have cleaned their hands as they may have done it without you seeing. It is your right to insist that they do and we encourage you to bring this to their attention.
Q. What is the hospital doing to improve cleanliness?
A. Cleaners are employed by the hospital, not contracted in. Our domestic staff are trained and have access to modern cleaning technologies. All ward areas are inspected regularly and the results reviewed by cleanliness groups which include patients. Toilets are inspected on a regular basis. We do ask visitors not to use ward toilets. Please inform a member of staff if you come across any problems whilst in our buildings
Q. Is it safe for me to visit a patient who has an infection?
A. The staff on the ward will be able to advise you. In most cases we just ask you to remember to clean your hands before and after visiting a patient.
Q. I have an infection e.g. gastroenteritis, is it safe to visit?
A. If you are unwell we ask you not to visit unless essential. If your visit is essential please ring the ward to discuss first.
Q. I am pregnant, can I visit a patient who has MRSA?
A. Yes it is safe to visit. Please wash your hands and rub your hands with alcohol gel from dispensers at the ward entrance and elsewhere on the ward before and after visiting a patient.
Q. Should hospital staff wear work clothes outside the hospital?
A. The main way germs are transferred to patients is on hands but uniforms can become contaminated during the course of a day at work. The trust's policy states that staff who work in the hospitals should not wear work clothes outside of work. However, many of our staff work outside the hospital in GP surgeries and patient's homes. They do need to wear uniforms outside of the hospital environment but follow strict laundering instructions for their work clothes.
Q. What is MRSA?
A. MRSA is short for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It is a strain of germ called Staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to an antibiotic called Methicillin. Many people have this germ living on them (commonly in the nose) without it causing any harm. When it does cause an infection it can be treated with a limited number of other antibiotics. A small minority of MRSA infections are in the blood stream, these are the most serious.
Q. What is Clostridium difficile?
A. Clostridium difficile is a germ that can cause diarrhoea in some patients. It is present in the gut of many patients without causing illness but if a person receives treatment with certain types of antibiotics the germs can multiply and cause infection.