One of the best ways that patients can avoid getting a staph infection is to make sure the medical professionals who treat them wash their hands before making contact. Staph germs can live on hands, skin and surfaces, so washing the hands is a primary defense. On top of that, special precautions, known as contact precautions, are used when a patient is known to have staph. Those precautions, such as wearing a gown and gloves, can help to prevent the spread of staph to other patients.