The information can be downloaded from the Kimberly-Clark Professional Web site at http://www.kcprofessional.com/us/Resource-Center/infectionprevent.asp.
The free information includes:
- A hand hygiene brochure for health care workers, which was developed by Kimberly-Clark and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC);
- A health and hygiene wellness guide for health care facilities; and
- A downloadable poster on the proper use of waterless hand sanitizers.
The information will continue to be posted on the Web site after Infection Prevention Week ends.
Hand washing is one of the most important things you can do to keep from getting sick, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
CDC estimates that each year nearly 2 million patients in the United States contract an infection in hospitals and about 90,000 of these patients die as a result of their infection. Improved hand hygiene can help reduce the number of hospital-acquired infections.
President Ronald Reagan established Infection Control Week by proclamation in 1986. It always has been held during the third week in October. This year, APIC is putting the focus on prevention by changing the name to Infection Prevention Week.