Infection Control

Infection prevention is a high priority at EIRMC. In fact, aggressive infection control measures at EIRMC earned the hospital the State of Idaho “Qualis Health Award of Excellence in Healthcare” for reducing the spread of MRSA, a virulent strain of antibiotic-resistant staph. We were the only Idaho recipient of that award.

We follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other regulatory agencies’ requirements to make your hospital stay safe. Our staff is continuously updated and trained on new infection prevention practices. We put these in place, evaluate our outcomes, and make any necessary adjustments to make EIRMC the safest medical environment possible.

If you have questions or concerns, talk to your nurse or contact the Infection Control Department at (208) 529-7392.

And you can help us keep yourself and others at the hospital safe from infection. Below is a list of steps you can take to prevent introducing infection to our facilities.

Hand Hygiene

• Clean your hands before you eat, after coughing, sneezing and using the bathroom.
• Clean your hands if they become soiled or touch items that are dirty.
• If you do not see your healthcare workers clean their hands before they care for you, ask them to do so.

Preventing “Superbugs” (MRSA, VRE, C difficile, etc.)

• Superbugs are bacteria that can be hard to treat.
• Screening tests may be done for some of these bacteria during your hospital stay.
• If you test positive, additional precautions will be used by workers during your care (i.e., gloves or gowns or masks may worn).
• Use good hand hygiene, reminding visitors and healthcare workers to do so as well.

Preventing Surgical Site Infections

• Shower before your surgery following instructions given to you by hospital staff or your doctor.
• Do not shave the hair where the procedure will be done.
• Talk to your doctor if you have an infection, a history of infection after operations or a history of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staph aureus.)
• Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes.
• Stop smoking. Quitting even 2 weeks before your operation decreases your chance of infection.
• Do not let family or friends touch the surgical wound or dressing.

Preventing Urinary Tract Infections related to Foley Catheters

• Clean your hands before touching your catheter and before doing catheter care.
• Keep the urine collection bag below the level of the bladder.
• Do not tug, pull, twist or kink the tubing.
• Ask your doctor every day if you still need the urinary catheter.