The old stand by......HANDWASHING! Good handwashing with warm water and SOAP.....not just a quick shot of alcohol gel. Also, if I know I'm coming in contact with someone who is presenting with S/S of cold, flu, etc. I will flush my sinuses with a Netti pot when I get home or in extreme cases I will wear a mask. I get a flu shot every year as well. Incase you can't tell....I HATE being sick! I make a very grouchy sick person, lol.

The # 1 way to avoid hospital acquired  illness. is to NEVER,ever touch your face while @ work. I know that hand washing is vital, however,.let's get real.  Good handwashing, even with the dispensers readily available, is not possible as we run from patient to patient.

Another sad reality of nursing... if  my nose itches, too bad... I CAN'T scratch it!

 Well, as a nursing student, I tend to get pretty run-down anyways. I'm always tired, haven't been eating right (who has the time?!), and that makes for a bad combo. I know that you nurses experience the same kinds of things, but when I'm done with school I'm *hoping* I will not be quite so tired since I won't be up late studying or doing paperwork all the time, etc. 

I think the old stand-by of good handwashing/hygiene is a MUST! I also observe all the isolation precautions, and I have concern about bringing things home sometimes too since I have small children. So I wash my uniform frequently and take it off as soon as I get home. I think we'd all be surprised at the little germies that can hitch a ride on our clothes. Shoes are a big thing with me too...I take them off before I even go upstairs at my house, and I have a little corner in the mudroom to tuck them away by themselves. (Yes, I "isolate" my shoes! lol) I am of the belief that a hospital floor is one of the dirtiest places ever, even though I know they're cleaned regularly. But when you think of all the stuff that ends up on the floor.....YECH! Wearing gloves when needed, making sure they stay intact, and cleaning my stethoscope regularly are also things I try to do religiously. 

Since my eating habits haven't been that great since starting nursing school, I also take a multi-vitamin to help replace some of the things I'm not getting from food. I get my flu shot every year and try to catch up on my rest where I can (which is not very often!) Still, you just can't avoid getting sick sometimes, and like someone else mentioned - I'm not a very good sick person either. I get grumpy when I don't feel well, so I try to avoid illness like the plague. Pun intended! 

Good handwashing, aromatherapy, healthy eating, and antioxidants.

Undoubtedly, washing your hands frequently but the next important thing is adequate rest, regular meals and vitamin supplementation.

I wash hand before and after each procedure,wear glooves were necessary. I also eat foods that help me with my immunity(vegetarian).

Besides all the no-brainers like washing your hands washing your hands washing your hands!  I keep a botttle of hand sanitizer in my pocket, never ever touch my eyes nose or mouth during a shift and if I have to cough or sneeze, I direct it into my upper sleeve of scrub jacket. I also never touch door knobs or toilet handles with my bare hands. And follow precautions exactly!  I havent had a head or chest cold in 6 years! (Knock on wood!)  I just seem to get the GI bugs whenever one is passing thru~I dont understand that one!

These are all great ways to ward off illnesses..Teresa

Hand washing is the first line of defense.. Hugs, Teresa