A hospital environment contains potential hazards that may spread pathogens through movement, touch,or proximity. Interventions such as controlling air flow by restricting traffic in the operating room, isolating a patient to protect airborne contamination, or using low-particle generating garb help to minimize environmental hazards.

A second element requiring careful attention is equipment or supplies. Medical equipment can be sterilized by chemical treatment, radiation, gas, or heat. Personnel can take steps to ensure sterility by assessing that sterile packages are dry and intact and checking sterility indicators such as dates or colored tape that changes color when sterile.

Besides overall attention to the clinical environment and equipment, clinicians need to be attentive to their own practices and those of their peers in order to avoid inadvertent contamination.

In all clinical settings, hand washing is an important step. In general settings, hands are to be washed when visibly soiled, before and after contact with the patient, after contact with other potential sources of microorganisms, before invasive procedures, and after removal of gloves. Patients and visitors should also be encouraged to wash their hands. Proper hand washing for most clinical settings involves removal of jewelry, avoidance of clothing contact with the sink, and a minimum of 10-15 seconds scrubbing hands with soap, warm water, and vigorous
friction.

Sterile surgical clothing or protective devices such as gloves, face masks, goggles, and transparent eye/face shields serve as a barrier against microorganisms and are donned to maintain asepsis in the operating room. This practice includes covering facial hair, tucking hair out of sight, and removing jewelry or other dangling objects that may harbor unwanted organisms. Scrubs must be donned with deliberate care to avoid touching external, sterile surfaces with non sterile objects including the skin. This ensures that potentially contaminated items such as hands and clothing remain behind protective barriers, thus prohibiting inadvertent entry of microorganisms into sterile areas.

Donning sterile gloves requires specific technique so that the outer glove is not touched by the hand. A large cuff exposing the inner glove is created so that the glove may be grasped during donning. It is essential to avoid touching non sterile items once sterile gloves are applied; the hands may be kept interlaced to avoid inadvertent contamination.

Sterile drapes are sterilized linens placed on the patient or around the field to delineate sterile areas. Drapes or wrapped kits of equipment are opened in such a way that the contents do not touch non-sterile items or surfaces. All these precautions are put into place to protect the staff and patients as well.

Always remember these 4 points:

• Identify all the sterile areas. Don’t allow non-sterile individuals in the sterile area and don’t allow them to touch any sterile items. Keep sterile items away from drafts caused by open doors or windows.
• Protect the sterility of the properly gowned and gloved health-care provider; don’t allow them to reach across non-sterile areas or to touch non-sterile items.

• Consider any item of unknown sterility as contaminated and remove it. Remove any sterile barrier that has been compromised by liquid or damage. Keep contaminated dressings and bedding away from the sterile field.

• Use proper technique to open and transfer sterile items without contaminating them. This includes opening sterile packaging from the opposite of the “business end” of an implement. Place only items known to be sterile within the sterile field.

As we change seasons from the fall to the winter, it is common for more and more people to head to the doctor’s office with sicknesses. Symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, runny noses and sore throats seem to be apparent wherever we turn. To the naked eye, this seems to coincide and be directly due to a change in weather, but is that the true reason why people get sick this time of year?

In actuality, by itself, a change in seasons does not lead to an increase in illnesses. The common cold is the most frequently encountered infectious disease in humans and is caused by viruses that are easily passed from person-to-person. The common cold is spread by direct contact of contaminated surfaces with infected secretions or via inhalation of the actual virus. The virus can live on objects for several hours or even survive on clothes like scrubs or lab coats, and can easily be acquired via contact of these things. More commonly, an individual who is sick will pass the virus to another person via direct contact after blowing their noses. The symptoms from this disease can last from 7-10 days, with the first 3 days being the most infectious and most symptomatic. As the disease runs its course, the infected individual will quickly improve and return back to normal.

The real cause of people getting the common cold is from a weakened immune system becoming infected by this virus, but often changes in the weather can exacerbate these symptoms.  Our body is used to working at a particular temperature, and as the seasons change our body is forced to re-adapt and change what our norm is.  As this occurs, our immune system is weaker and more susceptible to attack.  Plus, it is thought that since people spend more time indoors during the cold weather months and remain in close proximity to each other, the virus can easily be spread from one person to another.  In addition, people are less likely to go outside in colder weather and get fresh air; plus, individuals may be less apt to exercise with a drop in the temperature.  All of these factors together make the propensity for getting the common cold that much higher in the winter than in warmer months, where people are outside and body temperature is more constant.

It is estimated that individuals throughout the United States suffer over 1 billion colds yearly, which results in millions of absences nationwide and a generalized reduction in production everywhere, especially in the school system where children average 6 colds annually.  With such a high prevalence, it is important for all individuals to take proper preventative measures to prevent sickness from occurring.  To prevent the spread of illness, it is important to be vigilant about frequent hand washing and constant use of hand sanitizer when in public areas.  In addition, it is key to maintain a high level of physical exercise and activity—it has been shown that staying fit lowers the stress levels that make people vulnerable to getting sick.  Also, maintaining an adequate level of nutrition is also very instrumental in staying healthy—foods such as fruits and vegetables provide the vitamins and minerals necessary to fight off disease.  Individuals must also be sure to get enough Vitamin C, which is essential in preventing colds; and zinc which has been proven to help our immune system produce T-cells needed to fight off infection in the body.

So while changes in weather on their own won’t make you ill, they can affect your immune system and indirectly lead to sickness.  Be sure to take special precautions to make sure it doesn’t affect you this season!

With the holidays behind us, many of us will engage in celebratory events to kick off the year.  While this has been dubbed the “most wonderful time of the year”, it can also be a very difficult time for those suffering from stomach digestive problems.  From the rich and less healthy holiday foods to the stress of shopping, those with major stomach problems can be quite uncomfortable following the holiday season.  To help people avoid a trip to the hospital to see those workers in scrubs and lab coats, we will look at different strategies to try and help individuals cope with these different digestive issues.

The first thing to examine is the holiday food we eat during this time of year.  Often with parties and large events, we are triggered to overindulge on what we eat.  In addition, the food is often much more rich and fatty than we are used to on a regular basis.  This can lead to issues with digestion, acid reflux, and stomach pain in individuals.  To prevent such issues from occurring, it is important to pace yourself with what you eat and only eat food that you know will not lead to digestive issues.  One technique to do this is to count to 5 between bites—this forces you to eat slower instead of shoveling the food into your stomach.  By making yourself move slower, you will be able to sense when you are full faster and prevent yourself from overeating.  Also, focus on eating fruits and vegetables in addition to your meats and fattier foods—this will help to balance out your diet and provide much needed nutrients into your body.

After dinner, individuals will often drink caffeinated beverages like coffee and tea.  While this is okay for people who are used to them, it can also be an issue for others.  For those with gastric issues, caffeine can act as a laxative and lead to diarrhea.  In addition, it can worsen heartburn and also lead to cramps in those not used to its effects.  The key with these beverages is to drink slowly and in moderation to prevent symptoms from occurring.

Another common occurrence during the holiday season is the use of alcohol.  Many people celebrate the holiday season with special drinks to toast things off, but for some this can lead to additional problems.  Drinks like beer and champagne contain carbonation that can lead to gas issues for some individuals, while overconsumption of other alcoholic beverages can lead to issues like diarrhea.  We also find that alcohol can relax the lower esophageal sphincter, which keeps food in the stomach, resulting in issues of heartburn for some people.  Like any time of year, the key is not to over consume alcoholic beverages or drink too quickly, as non-adherence to these principles can lead to major gastric concerns.

A final area for concern during the holidays is with stress-related activities.  For many, the process of shopping for loved one’s gifts can induce a significant amount of stress, caused by a variety of factors from long crowds to sold out merchandise.  In addition to shopping, a lot of individuals will be traveling over the holiday season and the lines associated with the airport can be very stressful to many people.  Plus, a select few will be traveling via plane for one of the first times in their lives, which can be a heart-wrenching experience as well.   While it is impossible to eliminate all stress in these situations, preparation may be the best strategy to reduce the resulting gastric symptoms.  Shopping at off-peak times or online can eliminate the stresses of being in crowds, while getting to the airport 2-3 hours prior to departure can make the flying process much more bearable.

Overall this is a season to enjoy and be jolly, so by following the suggestions above to avoid common pitfalls, stomach problems should not be a major concern in your celebrations.