Hospitals have a lot of germs, which can cause infections or other problems.
But there are important things you can do, to avoid getting an infection when you're a patient in the hospital.
Hand-washing is the best thing you can do.
Do it often, and be sure that everyone else washes their hands, or uses hand sanitizer before touching you, or things that you touch.
You may also want to keep disinfectant wipes, to wipe off things you touch.
And make sure not to touch your own broken skin, like a cut or a sore.
And show your nurse anything that looks like it might be getting infected.
If your bandages get wet or dirty, or they're starting to fall off, show your nurse and make sure the bandages get changed.
Even simple things like shaking hands, rubbing eyes, and opening a door can spread infections that can make you sick.
But there is something you can do to control the spread of infection.
The biggest step you can take is to make sure that you, and everyone around you, has clean hands.
So wash your hands with care, and often.
