Maple Elementary School

                                                           School Nurse Notes 

  There is always the potential for many types of infections in our environment, so we must wash our hands often.  The use of alcohol based hand sanitizers is recommended when washing hands with soap and water is not convenient.

 

It is very important to thoroughly clean your hands before eating, touching your mouth, nose, or open areas (these are the routes of entry for many diseases into your body), after toileting, blowing the nose, coughing, and sneezing (use your elbow if you cannot immediately clean your hands).

     Because we touch so many things touched by others (others who may be sick), don’t pass up a chance to wash your hands throughout the day, just to cut down on the numbers of bacteria and viruses that you may have come in contact with.

 

  The steps to take to prevent MRSA are the steps to take to prevent other infections:

Frequent thorough hand washing with soap and water or alcohol based hand sanitizer

Do not touch someone else’s wounds, drainage, or dressings

Regular cleaning of frequented surfaces, in some cases, regular disinfecting

Keep cuts, sores, and open areas clean and covered with a clean dressing

See the doctor for signs of infection

Do not share items meant for personal use: towels, clothes, razors, toothbrushes

Wash clothes and linens that have been in contact with sores or wound drainage

An area that is red, swollen, painful, or draining is most likely infected, regardless of its size.  Seek medical attention.

This information is not only to use during a particular outbreak or when some infection is in the news.  It should be used daily because there is always something out there, to make us sick.  Wash your hands and spread the word, not the germs.