VIPTA is a statewide infection prevention and control education collaborative, led by the Virginia Healthcare-Associated Infections Advisory Group. Through partnership, VIPTA curates IPC resources for Virginia’s healthcare, congregate care, and public health settings.
My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene
Hand hygiene is essential for patient safety, and reminders are key! The World Health Organization’s “My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene” posters are customized to fit your work environment.
These new posters offer tailored guidance to fit different settings. Whether you’re working with patients in outpatient clinics or managing complex procedures in hemodialysis, these posters highlight the critical moments to clean your hands: before patient contact, before a clean procedure, after exposure to body fluids, after patient contact, and after touching patient surroundings.
Ways to Use This Resource
- Update your orientation and trainings with the “My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene” poster that best matches your work environment.
- Post education posters (with a wipeable surface) in spaces where staff do hand hygiene.
Target Audience: Essential IPC education level
Our Heart is for Patient Safety
This Valentine’s Day, LewisGale Hospital Pulaski’s theme was Our Heart is for Patient Safety. On 2/14, the entire facility celebrated 10 years without a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI)! This success was the result of an enormous amount of teamwork. It involved physicians ordering and placing lines appropriately, nurses caring for the lines properly, and many ancillary departments doing their part.
The team thanked Environmental Services for keeping the hospital clean, Supply Chain staff for ensuring necessary products are in stock and Interventional Radiology for carefully and consistently placing peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) lines. A robust interdisciplinary team discusses every device including the plan for removal. A major contributor to this success is a culture where all staff feel empowered to speak up when there is a patient concern.
Leading up to the celebration of CLABSI prevention, the Infection Preventionists most enjoyed time spent gathering photographs of staff and talking about their contributions to this special event. This momentous occasion was celebrated with banners, balloons, t-shirts and cake for all!
-Becky McDonald, Infection Preventionist, LewisGale Hospital Pulaski
