MRSA - what can you tell me about it?

BlueBear · Feb 20, 2002

I have seen lots of MRSA when I worked the floor. Universal precautions are a must - really more to protect your patients than to protect you. Many of us are already colonized with MRSA but for our immunocompromised patients, this could be deadly. Gown and glove when you care for her. Is she continent? If so, this is helpful. If not, be careful while changing her and make sure all contaminated waste and linens are disposed of properly. And don't forget that visitors also need to wear PPE so they don't spread the germs around the institution on their way out. I hope this is helpful to you!!

EMTPTORN · Feb 20, 2002

methicillin resistant staphacoccus aureus (MRSA)

basically real bad infection that doesn't respond well to antibiotics....worst case scenario is in sputum where it may be spread via droplets...

at least this is a paramedic and a nursing students understanding.

runs rampant in LTC facilities.....least ways where i am.

zacarias, ASN, RN · Feb 20, 2002

2nd quarter nursing student here.

Last week I had a patient with MRSA and stage IV pressure ulcers! My whole day was gown up, don gloves, remove gown and gloves and repeat LOL!

I'm a little confused on it though. When MRSA infects a wound, the infection isn't in the wound but rather around it?? Hey, that is what PT told me. Also, how would MRSA hurt a healthcare worker? If the HCP was healthy, I'd assume they would just get colonized right? Now if a wound is infected with MRSA, how fast will it heal? I heard that Vanco is stopped like 8 weeks after the wound is tested negative for MRSA. So MRSA is then gone from the wound, but the truth is MRSA is still in the body forever right? Please enlighten! Thanks :)

Z

aimeee, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2002

This should make things a bit more clear for you:

http://hospitals.unm.edu/uh/epidemiology/statehandouts/stmrsa.shtml

http://www.ncbugs.com/MRSA.HTM

CEN35 · Feb 20, 2002

well........the thing i always wondered about....was the chance of actually getting sick from it? we really don't see a lot of dx mrsa type pneumonia in the er.

the one thing that sticks out though, is whenever i have been involved with the care of an mrsa pneumonia patient.......i have become sick. usually a day or two later, i get a respratory bug. i don't really know if that is enough correlation? or the fact that having asthma already makes me more prone to catching resp bugs! :confused:

me :)

MickeymomRN · Feb 21, 2002

:eek: All I could think about when I read this was how many other little buggers are out there. EEEEWWWWW! Good advice was given about being real careful and using universal precautions ALLWAYS! And I especially applaud the one about making sure the family members do the same. I remember seeing nurses not enforce that b/c they don't want to upset the family members. DUH! Then sometimes these same nurses don't use the precautions themselves and come out to the nurse's station grabbing the phone or placing their nasty shoes up onto the seat or counter. Or a good one is to see a nurse on the phone with her gear on incl. the gloves. And he/she sees the look on your face and replies "oh, there clean!" Glad some of us have microscopic vision. Where can I sign up for those?

just my thoughts....

mtgirl63 · Feb 23, 2002

Thanks for all the info. everyone, I appreciate the insight. What I've been told by my DON is that because this resident has "collonized" MRSA, we do not have to wear a gown, mask, etc , but of course, (as with any resident) gloves are an absolute must, as well as very thorough handwashing. It is collonized in her urine and so any soiled or wet linens and clothes are bagged separately. It is the patient with uncollonized MRSA that is required to be in isolation.

Anyway, thanks again for the help!!

Lisah · Feb 23, 2002

We are seeing more and more patients having MRSA. We are doing screeing on admission and if they were admitted to a hospital or long term care facility outside of our region in the last 6 moths we are doing the nasal and rectal swabs for analysis. We currently have one pt positive and we are using strict isolation, our problem is getting the doctors to follow the isolation. I can totally relate to the nurse who spent the entire shift gowning gloving and masking, ot seems like that is what most of your shift is spent doing.