Published monthly for CC employees by Clinical Center Communications February 1998 New program Senator visits CFC succeeds Mock ups up Work life council King: the legacy continues Washing hands Briefs <

CRC design meetings continue "We really want input to make this as functional as possible," said CC Director John Gallin at a patient orientation meeting late last month. CC patients are involved in the design of the patient-care units for the new facility. Dr. Gallin is shown discussing suggestions with several patients. Patients help design CRC "There are many things from the eyes of a patient that we need to know," said CC Director John Gallin, during an orientation meeting for patients held late last month. Several CC patients, past and present, were invited guests at the meeting, held to elicit input on the design of the new Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center. During the meeting, Dr. Gallin described some of the major accomplishments that have taken place at the NIH, including the development of the first treatment for cancer and AIDS. But, Dr. Gallin pointed out, more importantly, the CC has been a facility committed to the patients. "We consider the patients truly partners in what we do," he said. "Without the patients, this place wouldn't exist." According to Dr. Gallin, several factors necessitated the creation of a new facility, including the 1940s design of the ventilation and water systems in the current building, which are nearing the end of their lifespan. "We said to the architects who were designing the new facility, please give us a building that can change," said Dr. Gallin. The new facility, according to Margie DeBolt, architect with Zimmer, Gunsul, Frasca Partnership, will include interstitial space between each floor, which will house the mechanical systems. In the current building, the mechanical systems are hard for technicians to reach and often interrupt the flow of work in the area if repairs are needed. "The new design will be a mechanic's dream," she said. A series of meetings have been conducted to date. They have included patients and representatives from institutes in an effort to assist with the design of the labs as well as the patient-care units. Planners stressed the importance of obtaining input early in the process in order to save time and money. Patients were encouraged to attend patient-care unit standardization meetings, which include discussions concerning the design of the units. "Before we build 250 patient rooms, we would like to get the right design and duplicate it," said DeBolt.  index

Staff on the 4 West Unit include (front row, left to right): Lynn Compton, Lenora Jones, Sandra Bowles, Bernie Crago, Tammy Daley, and Gerald Hodges. In back from left are Stefano Marenco, M.D., Tony Santucci, Annie Gilchrist, Jim Hoagland, Juliaphine Campbell, Lisa Misra, Luella Clausnitzer, Ayman Bakey, M.D., Agnes Plante, Lucy Justement, Gail Butterworth, and Ben Kosiorowski. NIMH brings brain disorder clinical program to the CC The Clinical Brain Disorder research program of the NIMH, previously carried out at the William A. White Neuroscience Center on the grounds of St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, D.C., has moved to the Clinical Center. The 4 West patient-care unit now headquarters this research program on schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses. "The Intramural Research Program Planning Committee last year recommended relocating the Center to the Bethesda campus in order to preserve the best elements of this remarkable program," said Dr. Susan Swedo, acting scientific director, NIMH. "The NIH campus provides the services identified by the committee, which include access to imaging facilities, collaboration and training opportunities, and enhanced patient access. Cost savings were also a consideration." Under the first phase of the relocation, the CC nursing staff designed orientation activities for patients and staff. "This relocation was a major integration that required major planning," said Jacques Bolle, chief of the mental health, alcohol, and aging nursing services, CC nursing department. "The CC nursing staff was very involved early on by planning visits from St. Elizabeth's patients and staff to orientate them to the unit setting and the various departments in the CC." The unit received structural and staff changes to accommodate the additional patients and personnel. To date, seven patients have been added to the unit, with more slated to be added in coming months. In addition, more than ten patient-related staff were moved from St. Elizabeth's to the Clinical Center. "This move had an impact on the professional and personal lives of many staff, St. Elizabeth's as well as CC," said Bolle. "It shows the team effort among these groups as theystrive for excellence in patient care." "The relocation is a great example of collaboration among the institutes, as well as the NIH and CC staff," said Dr. David Henderson, CC deputy director for clinical care. "Everyone together did a remarkable job preparing for the transfer."(by LaTonya Kittles)  index

Senatorial visit Senator Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), a staunch supporter of legislation for pediatric research, recently visited several patients on 11 East. During his visit DeWine also met with several institute physicians to discuss issues relating to children's research at NIH, including asthma, mental health, and cancer. Shown (left to right) are DeWine, Dr. Jack Yanovski, pediatric unit ward chief, and CC patient Nicholas Narlock. Mock-ups going up Mock-ups of patient rooms in the new Clinical Research Center will be used as a planning tool by the design team and the various NIH planning groups over the next few months. The rooms will take shape to reflect design refinements. Shown is the first step of the project, located in the 14th floor assembly hall.

CFC succeeds The Clinical Center exceeded its $90,000 goal during the CFC campaign, with total contributions from NIH topping well over $1.5 million. During a CFC raffle last month, program planners picked names for keyworker and contributor prizes. Awards for CFC contributors were: First prize, two airline tickets, to Robert Wesley, NCI; and second prize, a 20-inch television, to Paul Russell, NEI. Keyworker awards were: First prize, two airline tickets, to Cordell White, Jr., NEI; and second prize, a $100 Montgomery Mall gift certificate, to Joan Kraft, NINDS. Shown are (left to right) Diedre Andrews, CC; Dennis Askwith, NHLBI; Walter Jones, CC deputy director for management and operations; Randy Schools, R&W; and Karen Ciaschi, R&W. NIH keyworkers will be recognized for their hard work and contributions during a ceremony in March.    index

Handwashing: as important today as it was yesterday
A contest: The CC Hospital Epidemiology Service is looking for a slogan to complement new artwork for a handwashing campaign. Rules: The slogan must be brief, concise, and capture the importance of handwashing on a regular basis. How to enter: The entry form for submission is available on the HES web site, at http://www.cc.nih.gov/hes. Suggestions can be sent via interoffice mail to HES, Building 10, Room 4A21, or e-mailed to abooze@pop.cc.nih.gov. The deadline for submission is February 20, 1998. OR Visit the "handwashing booth" outside the B1 cafeteria from February 16-20 and drop your suggestion in the box. Winners will receive a $15 gift certificate from Blockbuster Video and be highlighted in an upcoming issue of the CC News.
Did you know? Handwashing is the first line of defense against many diseases, such as the common cold. One in four food-borne illnesses result from poor hygiene, generally unwashed, or poorly washed hands. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls handwashing the "single most important means of preventing the spread of infection" from bacteria, pathogens, and viruses. In general, health-care workers wash their hands only about 50 percent of the times they should. If you don't wash your hands, you are more likely to have germs that can be infect yourself and others. For more than a century, we have known that infectious agents can be spread by the hands. Many items that we touch everyday can carry viral and bacterial organisms left by someone who did not wash their hands. The potential modes of organism transmission include touching the inside doorknob of a public bathroom, putting your mouth to the receiver of a public telephone, preparing raw meats in the kitchen, changing a diaper, grasping the handle of a supermarket cart, or shaking hands with someone who just covered their mouth while sneezing. Unfortunately, we can't avoid all these objects and activities, but we can wash our hands often and not touch our mouth, eyes, or nose until we have. In essence, frequent handwashing is a major cornerstone of infection protection and health promotion for all persons. Handwashing works by removing organisms that are acquired from infected persons or contaminated objects. Individuals should wash their hands when visible contamination or soiling occurs, after using the bathroom, changing a diaper, handling money, blowing your nose, sneezing, or coughing, handling a pet, taking out the garbage, handling any body fluids, tending persons with known infections, and before and after eating, feeding, or handling food. For health-care workers, washing hands is an important part of infection control. Hands should be washed both before and after direct patient contact, after contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials, such as equipment or articles contaminated by blood, and after removal of gloves or other personal protective barrier equipment. Three elements are essential for good handwashing: soap, running water, and friction. Here are some tips: Be certain to use a rubbing action that creates a lather over the entire hand surface. Wash all surfaces of the hands and fingers for 10 to 15 seconds, then fully rinse with running water. If possible, turn off the faucet with a paper towel. Dry hands with disposable or single-use towels or an air-dryer. Numerous non-antimicrobial and antimicrobial handwashing products are currently on the market. These products can be purchased in numerous forms, including: bar, liquid, premoistened towelettes or wipes, granule, powder, leaflet, or soap-impregnated tissues. Non-antimicrobial soap works by suspending microorganisms, allowing for their mechanical removal. On the other hand, antimicrobial, or antiseptic agents are products with germ-killing activity designed for use on skin. One of these agents, triclosan, is found in many antibacterial soap products available in many grocery and convenience stores. Another agent, chlorhexidine gluconate, is used in various patient-care areas in the Clinical Center, such as the ICUs. If you do not have immediate access to a sink, there are other ways to kill germs. Waterless handwashing products are also readily available on the market. The CC uses a multi-factored approach to help promote handwashing. Staff have access to supplies that are convenient and easy-to-use. Additional supplies are available by calling the Housekeeping and Fabric Care Department at 6-2417. CC staff also receive training concerning infection-control practices through the Universal Precautions training, as well as other programs. The CC develops educational programs and campaigns designed to communicate the importance of handwashing. In an effort to change with the times, the current handwashing sign "washing hands prevents infection," which can be found in all CC public restrooms, will be updated. We invite you to participate in our CC-wide contest to develop a fresh slogan to complement newly designed artwork. The ideal slogan will be short and clear in meaning. All entries must be received between February 9 and 20, 1998. Entries may be submitted outside the B1 cafeteria during the week of February 16, mailed to HES, Bldg. 10, Room 4A21, faxed to 6-0457, or e-mailed to abooze@pop.cc.nih.gov. The winning entry will become the new CC handwashing slogan. The winner will receive a $15 gift certificate to Blockbuster Video, and their picture and slogan will be displayed in an upcoming CC News. (by Annette Booze and Barbara Fahey, Hospital Epidemiology Services) index