This is an outstanding and very useful book about the causes and prevention of hospital associated (nosocomial) infections in the United States, a very common cause of severe morbidity and mortality. The author effectively uses stories by patients and their families to illustrate the different types of infections, and teaches patients, families and health care providers how they can avoid getting infected and passing on infections to others in the hospital. As a hospital based pediatrician I have recommended this book to my colleagues, and purchased copies for my parents and other relatives. ( )

As a medical student, I myself can benefit from the "patient" perspective on preventing nosocomial infections. Very soon, this issue in American hospitals will have a direct impact on providers' Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement--if patients acquire infections while under our care, we won't get paid. For that reason alone, we all need to do our due diligence in preventing these infections and making our patients feel as if this is a top priority for us. Following Dr. McGuckin's recommendations will have the added and larger benefit of also improving the health of the community by preventing antibiotic overuse and resistance as well.

A very well-written and informative book for healthcare professionals and patients alike. As a nurse, I appreciated the research referenced and the statistical data. It is an important reminder of the basics of infection control. From a layman's perspective, this book would be easy to understand, empowering, and quite eye-opening. This is a book that I will recommend to family and friends to read before they need it so they can be prepared in the event of a hospitalization. I would also recommend it to home caregivers to reinforce the importance of good infection control practices.

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book via LibraryThing which has not influenced my review. Thank you. ( )

First the author scares you with all the dangers lurking in a hospital, then she tells you what you can do about it. Dr. McGuckin has written a practical guide to avoid getting sicker during your hospital stay. She states that healthcare workers know the right thing to do but sometimes need reminding; hand washing and advocating for the patient are simple steps towards proper care. Case studies are interspersed throughout the book, and there's even a chapter on the pursuit of legal options should things go awry. This is a good book to read BEFORE you or a loved one has to spend time in a hospital. ( )

The next time you hear another horror story about a superbug infection, do yourself a favor and read this book. It is a constructive antidote which should be read by patients and families. It's subject should be the medical ABCs for all health care workers. Based on the research cited in this book, however, it seems that the basic preventive measures described here are often neglected.

Dr. McGuckin's books is authoritative and includes references and an index. Her style is straightforward and the material is conveyed so that everyone can understand it. The goal is to educate and prepare us to prevent hospital and health care facility infections. Thousands die from such infections, and many, and often most, could be prevented by following a few simple guidelines. Despite the World Heatlh Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and the Joint Commission on Accreditation endorsements of such guidelines, they are often not put into practice. Current studies find health care workers wash their hands less than 50% of the time when they should; even intensive care unit workers only have a 26% compliance rate. This concept of best practices can go a long way at reducing enormous costs. Billions of dollars are spent treating such infections and many lives are lost or damaged as well. It would seem to be a no-brainer that when there is a simple solution to correct this it should be followed.

The book is well organized and one can zero in on those relevant chapters as they are needed, though ideally the entire book should also be read. If there is one lesson to be learned it is the value of proper hand sanitation. Apparently the work of Lister is not yet done. Checklists are provided to help patients and their advocates and families know what to look for and request. Whenever hospitals put such checklists into practice, infection rates plummet, often to zero.

Chapters focus on specific hospital based situations when infections often occur including surgical wound care, urinary and venous catheters, tube feedings and ventilators. All of us should investigate doctors and check infection rates at hospitals but few of us do. Next to the need for proper hand washing, this point jumps out as the most glaring omission of a sound preventive measure we should all take. It is sobering to learn that most of us will spend 8 hours researching which car to purchase but less than one hour to investigate the resources where we place our lives.

Resources are provided including accreditation and state agencies which can provide infection-related statistics in advance or which can be marshalled should an infection subsequently develop. Patients are often told there is no way to prove an infection was caused by a hospital, and this is simply wrong. The author's background attests to that since she has often been involved as an expert witness in lawsuits.

Did you feel safe when you saw your doctor or nurse put on a pair of surgical gloves? Yeah...me too. How wrong we are. You do not need to become obsessive compulsive about infection control, but you'll see that practicing these simple guidelines is probably one of the smartest health moves you could make.