Lifestyle Articles :Protecting yourself during cold and flu season

Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2008

The following appeared in an issue of Maxim’s nursing eNewsletter, Nursing Now. To receive news in your e-mail inbox each month, sign up today.

As we shake off the winter’s chill and see the first signs of spring upon us, what do we think of as healthcare providers? Cold and flu season, of course! With the warmer weather, we usually notice a surge in upper respiratory issues, not only in ourselves and our colleagues, but also in our homes and the population we serve. Old wives’ tales attribute the increase in illness to the change in the seasons, but as healthcare workers, we know that we must look to the source of the illness. It’s not the season, but the accompanying bacteria, viruses, and germs that are the culprit. There are many ways that we can protect ourselves, our co-workers, our families, and our clients from these outbreaks.

Hand washing. Practice what you preach. Routine hand washing for 20 seconds with soap and running water has the potential to stop a multitude of germs in their tracks, as does the use of alcohol gel. Remember to emphasize to your clients the effectiveness of hand washing on a routine basis.

Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. Cleaning and disinfecting are not synonymous. Cleaning removes germs from surfaces, whereas disinfecting kills them. For the most part, cleaning surfaces will remove dirt and most germs and is usually enough. But there are times when you may want to disinfect for that extra level of protection. Remember that a surface may look clean, but germs can live for hours or even days on a surface. In the kitchen, clean and disinfect surfaces prior to food preparation. Follow label directions and let the disinfectant stand for a few minutes to accentuate its effectiveness. Use paper towels when cleaning and dispose of them so you don’t have any germs hanging around. If you prefer to use cloths to clean, wash them in hot water to destroy any germs that may linger. In the bathroom, routinely clean and disinfect all surfaces. This is especially important if a member of the family has a cold or the flu.

Separate foods in the kitchen. Don’t cross-contaminate one food to another. This occurs when bacteria spread from a food to a surface and from a surface to another food or from one food to another. To help prevent cross-contamination, you should separate raw meat, poultry seafood and eggs from other foods; not only in your grocery cart, but in your grocery bags and in your refrigerator. Use different cutting boards for fresh produce, raw meat, poultry, and seafood, and clearly mark these so everyone in the family knows which cutting board is used for which food. Use a thermometer to ensure your food is cooked to the proper temperature to eliminate bacteria. Meat and fish should reach 145°F; pork, ground meat, and eggs should reach 160°F; and poultry should reach 180°F to be considered safe.

Get immunized. Getting immunizations is easy, inexpensive, and most importantly, it saves lives. The CDC has recommendations available on their Web site for childhood immunization schedules, as does your pediatrician. Adults need tetanus and diphtheria boosters every 10 years. Last but not least, get a yearly flu vaccination; this is the single best way to prevent the flu.

Use antibiotics appropriately. Overuse and underuse of antibiotics causes more problems than the wonder drug can handle. Overuse can lead to “super strains” of bacteria and under-use can lead to ineffective eradication of the bacteria, leading to further therapy. Antibiotics are not the “magic bullet” to cure everything, so it’s important to teach our clients that viruses like the cold and flu do not respond to them. Simple solutions like over-the-counter cold and flu medications will help alleviate the symptoms.

Be careful with pets. While pets provide many benefits to their owners, including comfort and companionship, even domesticated animals can pass diseases to humans. Keep these simple tips in mind to help make sure your pet relationship is a happy and healthy one:

• Adopt an animal from a shelter or a reputable pet store or breeder.
• Schedule your pet for routine immunizations and check ups.
• Obey leash laws.
• Clean litter boxes daily. NOTE: Pregnant women should not clean litter boxes.
• Do not allow children to play in a yard where animals defecate and keep your child’s sandbox covered.
• Babies and children under the age of five are more likely to get diseases from animals, so do not allow young children to kiss pets or put their hands in their mouths after touching a pet. Wash the child’s hands with soap and water after contact with a pet.

Staying healthy is important to everyone. These simple everyday practices can help keep you, your loved ones, and the population you serve happy and healthy for many years to come.