Goethe-Institut Summer 2010 Schedule of Events

• Goethe-Institut Washington is an organization dedicated to providing access to the German language, culture and society, and fostering intercultural exchange in the Washington, DC area. It is part of the international network of Goethe-Institutes, and is a non-profit organization supported in part by the German government. There are 149 Goethe-Institutes and 11 liaison offices in 92 countries.
• The Goethe-Institut Washington offers a wide selection of classes this summer for every skill level, with both regular and intensive classes, including Elementary German A1, Elementary German A2, Intermediate German B1, An Introduction to Reading Scholarly German, and more — view the full schedule. Registration for summer classes is currently open.
• Goethe-Institut Washington is now on Twitter and Facebook. Our weekly email newsletter keeps subscribers informed of our German cultural events and courses; more local events, class information, quizzes, questions, answers, and other resources are available by following and/or liking us.
• The Goethe-Institut Washington presents films (classics and new; features and documentaries) every Monday night in its screening room. German films are screened with English subtitles. The May-July film series presents a selection of award-winning films from the Berlinale, the Berlin International Film Festival, including 12 Angry Men, Signs of Life (Lebenszeichen), Solo Sunny, Trace of the Bears (Spur der Bären), Veronika Voss (Die Sehnsucht der Veronika Voss), Life is All You Get (Das Leben ist eine Baustelle) and Head-On (Gegen die Wand). View the Goethe-Institut Washington’s full schedule of cultural events.
• FotoGalerie, the Goethe-Institut Washington’s exhibition space, is an ongoing showcase for the work of young German photographers. In Our Time – Photographs by Anne Lass is on display through the end of May. Next up: an annual favorite, winning works from Germany’s annual graduate photography competition, gute aussichten: new german photography 2009/2010, will be on display June-August. View the Goethe-Institut Washington’s full schedule of cultural events.

Learn How to Protect Yourself and Your Family from Hospital Infections

 

 

 

I have collected a list of preventative measures you can take for yourself, your children, your parents, and your loved ones before, during, and after their stay in the hospital to minimize exposure to Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) and associated superbugs like MRSA.

 
Washing:

• Your own hands. Scrub for at least 15 seconds with warm water and soap. Use an alcohol-based sanitizer if you can't get to a sink to use soap and water.
• Beginning three to five days before surgery, shower daily with 4 percent chlorhexidine soap, available over the counter at your local pharmacy.
• Once you're at the hospital: Ask anyone who is going to touch you to wash their hands first, in your presence. Due this whether the person is a doctor or nurse who is examining you, or visitors who want to hug you, pat your arm, help you dress, etc. Don't be shy! Your life is worth a tiny moment of embarrassment.
• Make sure hospital staff scrub the planned incision site before surgery, because scalpels and other surgical instruments can drag bacteria on the surrounding skin's surface into the incision.

Equipment:

• A common source of cross contamination bacteria are stethoscopes, which caregivers often do not clean between patients, so ask for it — and any other medical equipment — to be cleaned in your presence.
• Make sure hospital staff cleans and disinfects any surfaces you may come in contact with, such as bed rails, privacy curtains, and sinks. Avoid setting food or utensils on the furniture or bed.
• Make sure IV equipment is cleaned properly when inserted and removed, and that it a new, clean one is inserted at least every 3 to 4 days. If any redness appears at the IV site, alert hospital staff immediately.
• Keep an eye on wound dressings and drainage tubes, and tell a caregiver right away if they become loose or wet.
• Avoid getting a urinary catheter if at all possible. If you have a catheter, ask if it can be removed within a day or two - the sooner, the better.

Testing:

• Get tested for for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at least a week before you enter the hospital. You could have MRSA already and not know it! It's important to find this out ahead of time.
• Have your blood sugar under control if you have diabetes.

Medication:

• Ask your doctor about taking an antibiotic before surgery. For many surgeries, you can receive an antibiotic an hour or so before your surgery to help prevent a surgical site infection.

Grooming and Comfort:

• If hair has to be removed, use electric clippers on the day of surgery instead of razors, because razors are more likely to leave nicks in your skin through which you can be exposed to the bacteria that cause infection.
• Ask your doctor about keeping you warm during surgery. Obviously, you won't notice the cold while under anesthesia, but studies have shown that the simple step of keeping surgical patients warm reduces the likelihood of infection.
• Ask anyone who is coughing to wear a mask or stay at least six feet away from you so you won't get an infection that is transmitted through the air.
• Even though their visits may cheer you up, if family and friends are feeling unwell, ask them to wait to visit you until they are better. Talk to them on the phone instead.