The Hospital Gift Nobody Wants: Infection   The last thing you
expect to get in a hospital is an additional medical
complication in the form of infection.  Hospital acquired
infections, also known as Nosocomial infections, strike about
two million Americans annually, constituting about ten percent
of hospital visits. According to estimates from the American
Medical Association, 80,000 Americans die each year from
Nosocomial infections.  It is crucial for patients to be
informed about their hospital care so they can be proactive in
advocating for themselves in the event they develop an
additional infection.  Some of the most common Nosocomial
infections include:    • Clostridium difficile, (c. diff.)   •
Urinary tract infection (UTI)   • Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)  Patients generally get c.diff.
after swallowing the infectious spores from the air and then
taking other medications that, as a side effect, empty out the
stomach of the normal resident bacteria. C.diff fills the
bacterial va