Fri, Oct 13, 2017 at 04:00 PM

Fight with your hands - in the war against drug resistant bacteria

Everyone can fight drug resistant bacteria by using them the right way

What does an infection prevention specialist recommend to prevent bacteria from spreading? It’s not complicated. Handwashing is the number one method in the fight against bacteria.

“Hand hygiene is the best tool we have,” said Gloria Clemons, Infection Prevention Nurse at Marshall Medical North. “Wash your hands and wash them often.”

The job of an infection prevention nurse is to stop an infection before it occurs and to prevent the spread of infection. 

“We’re trying to get you better, not keep you in the hospital,” she told a group of GoldCare55+ members during a monthly Lunch ‘n learn in Guntersville. 

Part of that effort is to combat the proliferation of antibiotic resistant bacteria which has boomed during the past decade. It occurs when an antibiotic has lost its ability to kill bacterial growth. 

In addition to the obvious ways to stop bacteria – handwashing, cover mouth when coughing and sneezing, discard tissues immediately, cover wounds – there are more means necessary to halting this dangerous trend. 

Marshall Medical Centers established an Antibiotic Stewardship Team in 2016 with the goal of restricting the unnecessary use of antibiotics. They do that by ensuring hospitalized patients receive the right antibiotic at the right dose at the right time and for the right duration. Antibiotics should be prescribed to treat bacterial infections only. That includes strep throat, whooping cough, urinary tract infection. It does not include a cold, runny nose, sore throat or even the flu, because those are caused by a virus. 

GoldCare 55+ reaches out to area seniors by promoting a healthy and independent lifestyle. Members benefit from free health screenings, discounts on wellness events, better access to Marshall Medical Center services as well as affordable group travel. Monthly lunch ‘n’ learns provide information on everything from health and exercise to safe driving and fun parties.

If you are 55 or older and would like to take advantage of all the benefits Marshall Medical Centers’ GoldCare 55+ program has to offer, visit mmcenters.com where you can download a membership application. If you have any questions, please call (256) 571-8025 (for Arab area residents: (256) 753-8025) or email shirley.holland@mmcenters.com.