Frequently Asked Questions

Hand hygiene involves everyone in the hospital, including patients. Hand cleaning is one of the best ways you and your health care team can prevent the spread of many infections. Patients and their visitors should also practice good hand hygiene before and after entering patient rooms.

More information is available at:

•  Ministry of Health and Long Term Care - Patient Safety  
• Public Health Ontario - Just Clean Your Hands campaign

Hand hygiene involves everyone in the hospital, including patients. Hand cleaning is one of the best ways you and your health care team can prevent the spread of many infections. Patients and their visitors should also practice good hand hygiene before and after entering patient rooms.

More information is available at:

•  Ministry of Health and Long Term Care - Patient Safety  
• Public Health Ontario - Just Clean Your Hands campaign

Hand hygiene involves everyone in the hospital, including patients. Hand cleaning is one of the best ways you and your health care team can prevent the spread of many infections. Patients and their visitors should also practice good hand hygiene before and after entering patient rooms.

More information is available at:

•  Ministry of Health and Long Term Care - Patient Safety  
• Public Health Ontario - Just Clean Your Hands campaign

Most infections are treated with antibiotics – the type of medication will depend on the germ causing the infection. An infected skin wound may be reopened and cleaned. If an infection occurs where an implant is placed, the implant may be removed. If the infection is deep within the body, another operation may be needed to treat it.

Ask lots of questions. Learn what steps the hospital is taking to reduce the danger of infection.

• If your doctor instructs, shower or bathe with antiseptic soap the night before and day of your surgery. You may be asked to use a special antibiotic cleanser that you don’t rinse off.
• If you smoke, stop or at least cut down. Ask your doctor about ways to quit.
• Only take antibiotics when told by a health care provider. Using antibiotics when they’re not needed can create germs that are harder to kill. If prescribed, finish all your antibiotics, even if you feel better.
• After your surgery, eat healthy foods.
• When you return home, care for your incision as instructed by your health care provider.

Health care providers should be taking the following precautions to prevent SSIs:

• Practicing proper hand-hygiene techniques. Before the operation, the surgeon and all operating room staff scrub their hands and arms with an antiseptic soap.
• Cleaning the site where your incision is made with an antiseptic solution.
• Wearing medical uniforms (scrub suits), long-sleeved surgical gowns, masks, caps, shoe covers and sterile gloves.
• Covering the patient with a sterile drape with a hole where the incision is made.
• Closely watching the patient’s blood sugar levels after surgery to make sure it stays within a normal range. High blood sugar can delay the wound from healing.
• Warming IV fluids, increasing the temperature in the operating room and providing warm-air blankets (if necessary) to ensure a normal body temperature. A lower-than-normal body temperature during or after surgery prevents oxygen from reaching the wound, making it harder for your body to fight infection.
• Clipping, not shaving any hair that has to be removed. This prevents tiny nicks and cuts through which germs can enter.
• Covering your closed wound (closed with stitches) with sterile dressing for one or two days. If your wound is open, packing it with sterile gauze and cover it with sterile dressing.

The risk of acquiring a surgical site infection is higher if you:

• Are an older adult
• Have a weakened immune system or other serious health problem such as diabetes
• Smoke
• Are malnourished
• Are very overweight
• Have a wound that is left open instead of closed with sutures

• Increased soreness, pain, or tenderness at the surgical site.
• A red streak, increased redness, or swelling near the incision.
• Greenish-yellow or foul-smelling discharge from the incision.
• Fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.5 degrees Celsius) or higher

Symptoms can appear at any time from hours to days after surgery. Implants such as an artificial knee or hip can become infected up to 3 months or more after the operation.

Surgical site infections occur when harmful germs enter your body through the surgical site (any cut the surgeon makes in the skin to perform the operation). Infections can happen because germs are everywhere – on your skin, and on things you touch. Most infections are caused by germs found on and in your body.

Ask lots of questions. Learn what steps the hospital is taking to reduce the danger of infection.

• If your doctor instructs, shower or bathe with antiseptic soap the night before and day of your surgery. You may be asked to use a special antibiotic cleanser that you don’t rinse off.
• If you smoke, stop or at least cut down. Ask your doctor about ways to quit.
• Only take antibiotics when told by a health care provider. Using antibiotics when they’re not needed can create germs that are harder to kill. If prescribed, finish all your antibiotics, even if you feel better.
• After your surgery, eat healthy foods.
• When you return home, care for your incision as instructed by your health care provider.

Ask lots of questions. Learn what steps the hospital is taking to reduce the danger of infection.

• If your doctor instructs, shower or bathe with antiseptic soap the night before and day of your surgery. You may be asked to use a special antibiotic cleanser that you don’t rinse off.
• If you smoke, stop or at least cut down. Ask your doctor about ways to quit.
• Only take antibiotics when told by a health care provider. Using antibiotics when they’re not needed can create germs that are harder to kill. If prescribed, finish all your antibiotics, even if you feel better.
• After your surgery, eat healthy foods.
• When you return home, care for your incision as instructed by your health care provider.

Ask lots of questions. Learn what steps the hospital is taking to reduce the danger of infection.

• If your doctor instructs, shower or bathe with antiseptic soap the night before and day of your surgery. You may be asked to use a special antibiotic cleanser that you don’t rinse off.
• If you smoke, stop or at least cut down. Ask your doctor about ways to quit.
• Only take antibiotics when told by a health care provider. Using antibiotics when they’re not needed can create germs that are harder to kill. If prescribed, finish all your antibiotics, even if you feel better.
• After your surgery, eat healthy foods.
• When you return home, care for your incision as instructed by your health care provider.

Patients should always follow instructions given to them by your health care team.  Frequent hand cleaning is another way to prevent the spread of infection. Hand hygiene involves everyone in the hospital, including patients.

Patients should always follow instructions given to them by your health care team.  Frequent hand cleaning is another way to prevent the spread of infection. Hand hygiene involves everyone in the hospital, including patients.

Patients should always follow instructions given to them by your health care team.  Frequent hand cleaning is another way to prevent the spread of infection. Hand hygiene involves everyone in the hospital, including patients.

Treatment depends on the type of catheter, the severity of the infection and the patient’s overall health. Generally, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection and the central line may need to be removed. In some cases, the line is flushed with high doses of antibiotics to kill the germs causing the infection so that the line does not have to be removed

• Ask lots of questions.
• Find out why you need the line and where it will be placed.
• Learn what steps the hospital is taking to reduce the danger of infection.
• Wash your own hands often. Use soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub containing at least 60 per cent alcohol.
• Try not to touch your line or dressing. 

• All health care providers should practice proper hand cleaning techniques.
• Everyone who touches the central line must wash their hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand rub.
• Wear sterile clothing – a mask, gloves and hair covering – when putting in the line.
• The patient should be covered with a sterile drape with a small hole where the line goes in.
• The patient’s skin should be cleaned with “chlorhexidine” (a type of soap) when the line is put in.
• Choose the most appropriate vein to insert the line.
• Check the line every day for infection.
• Replace the line as needed and not on a schedule.
• Remove the line as soon as it is no longer needed.  

Health care providers who insert a central line in the vein of a patient fill out a central line insertion check list and procedure note which dates, tracks and documents the procedure.

Anyone who has a central line can get an infection. The risk is higher if you:

• Admitted to the ICU
• Have a serious underlying illness or debilitation
• Receiving bone marrow or chemotherapy
• Have the line in for an extended time 

• Redness, pain or swelling at or near the catheter site
• Pain or tenderness along the path of the catheter
• Drainage from the skin around the catheter
• Sudden fever or chills 

Central line infections occur when a central venous catheter (or “line”) is placed in the patient’s vein and the line gets infected. Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) often require a central line since they are seriously ill and require a lot of medication for a long period of time. When a patient requires long-term access to medication or fluids through an intravenous (IV), a central line is put in place. A central line infection can occur when bacteria and/or fungi enters the blood stream. The bacteria can come from a variety of places (skin wounds, environment etc.), though it most often comes from the patient’s own skin.

Patients should always follow instructions given to them by your health care team.  Frequent hand cleaning is another way to prevent the spread of infection. Hand hygiene involves everyone in the hospital, including patients.

• Ask lots of questions.
• Find out why you need the line and where it will be placed.
• Learn what steps the hospital is taking to reduce the danger of infection.
• Wash your own hands often. Use soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub containing at least 60 per cent alcohol.
• Try not to touch your line or dressing. 

• Ask lots of questions.
• Find out why you need the line and where it will be placed.
• Learn what steps the hospital is taking to reduce the danger of infection.
• Wash your own hands often. Use soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub containing at least 60 per cent alcohol.
• Try not to touch your line or dressing. 

Patients should always follow instructions given to them by your health care team.  Frequent hand cleaning is another way to prevent the spread of infection. Hand hygiene involves everyone in the hospital, including patients.

Treatment depends on the type of catheter, the severity of the infection and the patient’s overall health. Generally, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection and the central line may need to be removed. In some cases, the line is flushed with high doses of antibiotics to kill the germs causing the infection so that the line does not have to be removed

• Ask lots of questions.
• Find out why you need the line and where it will be placed.
• Learn what steps the hospital is taking to reduce the danger of infection.
• Wash your own hands often. Use soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub containing at least 60 per cent alcohol.
• Try not to touch your line or dressing. 

• All health care providers should practice proper hand cleaning techniques.
• Everyone who touches the central line must wash their hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand rub.
• Wear sterile clothing – a mask, gloves and hair covering – when putting in the line.
• The patient should be covered with a sterile drape with a small hole where the line goes in.
• The patient’s skin should be cleaned with “chlorhexidine” (a type of soap) when the line is put in.
• Choose the most appropriate vein to insert the line.
• Check the line every day for infection.
• Replace the line as needed and not on a schedule.
• Remove the line as soon as it is no longer needed.  

Health care providers who insert a central line in the vein of a patient fill out a central line insertion check list and procedure note which dates, tracks and documents the procedure.

Anyone who has a central line can get an infection. The risk is higher if you:

• Admitted to the ICU
• Have a serious underlying illness or debilitation
• Receiving bone marrow or chemotherapy
• Have the line in for an extended time 

• Redness, pain or swelling at or near the catheter site
• Pain or tenderness along the path of the catheter
• Drainage from the skin around the catheter
• Sudden fever or chills 

Central line infections occur when a central venous catheter (or “line”) is placed in the patient’s vein and the line gets infected. Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) often require a central line since they are seriously ill and require a lot of medication for a long period of time. When a patient requires long-term access to medication or fluids through an intravenous (IV), a central line is put in place. A central line infection can occur when bacteria and/or fungi enters the blood stream. The bacteria can come from a variety of places (skin wounds, environment etc.), though it most often comes from the patient’s own skin.

• Ask lots of questions.
• Find out why you need the line and where it will be placed.
• Learn what steps the hospital is taking to reduce the danger of infection.
• Wash your own hands often. Use soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub containing at least 60 per cent alcohol.
• Try not to touch your line or dressing. 

The noise that the scanner creates is the electrical current rising within the wires of the gradient magnet. The current in the wires are opposing the main magnetic field; the stronger the field the louder the gradient noise.

Contact Precautions aim to limit the spread of MRSA to other patients and to health care providers. You may be placed in a private room or with other patients who are also carrying the bacteria. A sign may be placed on your door to remind others who enter your room about these special contact precautions. Those caring for you as well as visitors will be asked to clean their hands, gown and glove before entering your room. Everyone who enters and leaves your room must clean their hands well. The room and equipment in the room will be cleaned and disinfected regularly.

Most people do not die if they are infected with MRSA. However in severe cases of MRSA bacteremia, death can occur. This is uncommon and tends to occur in those people with other severe health problems. The vast majority of people recover from MRSA, once their health is restored.

If a patient is carrying MRSA, generally no treatment is necessary, as the organism is not causing an illness and often will be cleared on its own when the person’s health is restored. If it is determined that the patient is infected (they have a blood infection, skin infection or wound infection etc.) then the patient will treated with the appropriate antibiotic as determined by a physician.

Swabs are performed when patients are admitted to the hospital and periodically for patients whom are at risk. The swabs are sent to the laboratory for analysis and if positive, the laboratory notifies infection prevention and control so that the patient can be placed on Contact Precautions.

Contact Precautions aim to limit the spread of MRSA to other patients and to health care providers. You may be placed in a private room or with other patients who are also carrying the bacteria. A sign may be placed on your door to remind others who enter your room about these special contact precautions. Those caring for you as well as visitors will be asked to clean their hands, gown and glove before entering your room. Everyone who enters and leaves your room must clean their hands well. The room and equipment in the room will be cleaned and disinfected regularly.

Because MRSA is spread from one person to another by contact, hand hygiene is critical to preventing its spread in a health-care setting. KGH actively conducts regular surveillance to find cases of MRSA infection and to identify carriers of MRSA. If a patient is positive for MRSA they are placed on Contact Precautions.

MRSA is spread from one person to another by contact, usually on the hands of caregivers. MRSA can be present on the health care provider’s hands either from touching contaminated material from infected persons or from touching articles contaminated by a person carrying MRSA, such as towels, sheets and wound dressings. MRSA can live on hands and objects in the environment for extended periods of time.

Risk factors for MRSA infections include invasive procedures, prior treatment with antibiotics, prolonged hospital stay, stay in an intensive care or burn unit, surgical wound infection and close proximity to someone who is carrying MRSA. 

A bacteremia is the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream and is referred to as a bloodstream infection.

Staphylococcus aureus is a germ that lives on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy people. Occasionally, Staphylococcus aureus is a  cause of human infection. When Staphylococcus aureus develops resistance to certain antibiotics, it is called Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA.

For more information and other related topics we recommend you visit:

• Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - Patient Safety 
• Public Health Ontario - Regional Infection Control Networks (RICN)

Contact Precautions aim to limit the spread of MRSA to other patients and to health care providers. You may be placed in a private room or with other patients who are also carrying the bacteria. A sign may be placed on your door to remind others who enter your room about these special contact precautions. Those caring for you as well as visitors will be asked to clean their hands, gown and glove before entering your room. Everyone who enters and leaves your room must clean their hands well. The room and equipment in the room will be cleaned and disinfected regularly.

Contact Precautions aim to limit the spread of MRSA to other patients and to health care providers. You may be placed in a private room or with other patients who are also carrying the bacteria. A sign may be placed on your door to remind others who enter your room about these special contact precautions. Those caring for you as well as visitors will be asked to clean their hands, gown and glove before entering your room. Everyone who enters and leaves your room must clean their hands well. The room and equipment in the room will be cleaned and disinfected regularly.