Respiratory Etiquette Stations

Gottlieb’s latest efforts to help stop the spread of infectious diseases can now be found outside the public elevators  on all hospital floors.

The Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette Stations are permanent wall fixtures that include tissues, face masks and hand sanitizing gel for visitors, outpatients, employees, physicians, volunteers, vendor reps—anyone walking through the hospital—to use when they need to cough or sneeze.

The stations have instructions printed in English and Spanish, and also are located in the Emergency department, Diagnostic Center lobby and the main Registration area.

"The purpose of these stations," said Cathy Paulus, Infection Control coordinator, "is to encourage people who are sneezing and coughing — including staff and visitors —to use a tissue to blow their nose, use the hand gel (after they’ve disposed of the tissue in a garbage can) to kill germs on their hands, and if they must visit a patient, to wear a mask to avoid spreading an infectious respiratory illness. We would like all Gottlieb staff to encourage everyone to utilize the stations in order to prevent the spread of disease—and to use the stations themselves when needed."

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) recommends that all health care institutions establish such Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette Programs.