Mosquito Infestation!

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I just heard the most disgusting news from my best friend. There is a mosquito infestation (in fact, it seems like a plague of MANY things such as gnats, mice and flies) on our med-surg units and one of the mosquitos actually laid their larvae in a trach patient's stoma and the poor patient got so sick that he had to be sent to ICU.

I have been feeling like I had to puke since I heard this mess. It represents poor nursing care to me because it must be that no one took the time to change the dressings, clean or suction this patient or even cover the stoma properly for larvae to make a home in this area. I know they can't control the mosquitos, but they sure as hell could have at least observed the patients. I say this because the particular floor I am speaking of is known for their nurses sitting around arguing and avoiding work all day (I used to go there for agency work sometimes). YUCK!!

[Halinja, BSN, RN]

OMG! That sounds absolutely gross!

[RNDreamer]

oh. my. goodness.

[beachbutterfly]

I live near water (lakefront) hence my name beachbutterfly and I tell you I get bitten my mosquitos every day,sometimes I get like those big red raised bites which sometimes spread and turn into hives!!! and really it is frightening but somehow I managed to be ok throughout all those years,but I do freak out when I read about West nile virus and I tend to avoid places with stagnant dirty water.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I live near water (lakefront) hence my name beachbutterfly and I tell you I get bitten my mosquitos every day,sometimes I get like those big red raised bites which sometimes spread and turn into hives!!! and really it is frightening but somehow I managed to be ok throughout all those years,but I do freak out when I read about West nile virus and I tend to avoid places with stagnant dirty water.

I was bitten by several mosquitos while on vacation last week and also worried about West Nile and other things. However, my hospital is not located near water, so, I am really wondering how so many gnats, mosquitos, flies and mice have suddenly taken over med-surg. I plan to purchase Skin So Soft so that I can hopefully avoid more bites when I return to work Monday. What scares me is that these buggers have been exposed to MRSA, wounds and other disease entities and are still flying around the doggone place. I wonder what they can do to get rid of them! And, they may migrate downstairs to our clinic. YIKES!

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

oh. my. goodness.

Your avatar gave me the willies because of this ()

[beachbutterfly]

I was bitten by several mosquitos while on vacation last week and also worried about West Nile and other things. However, my hospital is not located near water, so, I am really wondering how so many gnats, mosquitos, flies and mice have suddenly taken over med-surg. I plan to purchase Skin So Soft so that I can hopefully avoid more bites when I return to work Monday. What scares me is that these buggers have been exposed to MRSA, wounds and other disease entities and are still flying around the doggone place. I wonder what they can do to get rid of them! And, they may migrate downstairs to our clinic. YIKES!

I'm planning to apply to a brand new hospital located by the water!,I'm freaking out but I would love to work there since they will have many openings for RNs,plus it is close to my home.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I would love to work near water, because I find that it is tranquil. I would take breaks and sit outside, after I spray insect repellent. I wish you luck, and envy you!

[boggle, ASN, RN]

This sounds like something for the Dept of Health! What is your infection control dept saying about the mosquitoes? How can this not be addressed?

Skin so soft has weak repellent properties, but strong odor. It may not be the best choice for use if you have bedside patient contact. To apply enough to have any repellent property at all would stink out most patients! Have you ever tried Cutter's Skintastic light scent? it has Picaridin, not deet, and has a very faint popcorn scent, not a heavy chemical scent. It works pretty well, just doesn't last as long as a product with deet.

( maybe letting a few bats loose on the unit would do the exterminator job and be friendly to the hospital's budget:))

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I heard about this while on vacation...I go back Monday, so, I don't yet know what infection control is doing to address this issue. And, I work in a clinic, so, I'm not directly at the bedside. But the thought of it is scary. I plan to contact infection control on Monday to see what their intervention will be. Horrible, right??

[vivacious1healer]

oh my god......I do believe this is the first post that has made me queasy!

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

My friend called me today and told me that they closed one of the rooms because the infestation was so bad. This just gives me the willies!