Nurses with MRSA infection

pinoy_guy · May 23, 2005

Did you have a Sensitivity Test done? What's the result?

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · May 23, 2005

Has anyone had experience with MRSA infection in an ER setting? I am currently fighting this localized nickel sized infection on my foot (blister turned into horrible "purple grape" on my ankle) had I and D, given one dose Rocephin IV, week of Keflex, now on Bactrim, cannot work, wound looks nasty, wondering if anyone else has experienced anything like this. Does this mean I am out of a job? What resources do I have? Where can I learn more about this terrible thing? Thanks very much for any help. I am very curious to know how we can find out more about this. I guess it goes without saying that this is a very depressing situation to find yourself in. "Never sick a day in my life" kind of person, and all of the sudden "poof" there you are at the mercy of this "bug"? Any and all advice would be very greatly appreciated.
:redlight:

I just read an article about non-nosocomial MRSA showing up all over the community lately. I'll see if I can find the link for you.

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · May 23, 2005

There are several articles about MRSA on Medscape. This one was the one I'd read recently, but you can do a search and find more:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/482893_1

As far as the prognosis goes, and when you can return to work, wouldn't you talk to someone in Employee Health about that?

wendyp72 · May 23, 2005

We have had several episodes of this in our unit...which is VERY scary. Employee Health said that some nurses who are constantly exposed to it actually have it in a "dormant" state in their bodies and can become infected if their is some kind of injury...one of our nurses had a torn cuticle that became infected! Two others had injuries away from work that became infected. All required i & d....the infected cuticle required 3 i & ds....missed time from work and a week or 2 of Vanco. Not a pleasant experience but all had good recoveries with no complications or residual problems and work paid for some of the med. care with workman's comp. It is still a very scary reality of nursing today...MRSA is becoming more prevelant ...Hope they come up with some better drugs or either start educating the public better.

kadokin, ASN, RN · May 28, 2005

We have had several episodes of this in our unit...which is VERY scary. Employee Health said that some nurses who are constantly exposed to it actually have it in a "dormant" state in their bodies and can become infected if their is some kind of injury...one of our nurses had a torn cuticle that became infected! Two others had injuries away from work that became infected. All required i & d....the infected cuticle required 3 i & ds....missed time from work and a week or 2 of Vanco. Not a pleasant experience but all had good recoveries with no complications or residual problems and work paid for some of the med. care with workman's comp. It is still a very scary reality of nursing today...MRSA is becoming more prevelant ...Hope they come up with some better drugs or either start educating the public better.

Ignorant here. What is I&D?

wendyp72 · May 28, 2005

Ignorant here. What is I&D?

Incision & drainage...cutting the wound open and evacuating draingage and /or infected tissue.

psychonurse · May 29, 2005

In the correctional facility that I work in we have lots of cases of MRSA but we have been lucky and haven't had any nurses coming up with a case. I think that we are lucky and it shows that we are doing a good job or infection control or a high tolerance to disease. We instruct our clients frequently about how to avoid the bugs but every day we end up with another one with a draining lesion. So far only one has had to have an I & D and that was today so we must be doing something right...

kadokin, ASN, RN · May 30, 2005

Incision & drainage...cutting the wound open and evacuating draingage and /or infected tissue.

Thank you for the clarification

redwinggirlie · May 30, 2005

With all the MRSA cases in hospitals, I bet if everyone of us did a nasal culture, many would prove positive. Too many people in and out of rooms, too many nurses and other care people go into rooms "for just a second" and don't don the required gear. It happens, sorry to say.

mandrews · May 31, 2005

on one of the strands i believe someone talked about this same subject. they mentioned reading somewhere that nurses should add 1/2 cup of bleach to their bath water once every two weeks to try and decrease or reduce these types of colonys growing on our skin.

did anyone else ever hear of this?

melissa

prmenrs, RN · May 31, 2005

Sorry, guys, I deleted one message and all the ones that quoted that message. Hope nobody is too unhappy!