Contact with Mrsa, now I'm so afraid?

manusko · Oct 22, 2013

I work at an nursing home and I'm a CNA there until I finished school for nursing. I was working with a patient and she was on Precautions. Well stupid me, I made a few mistakes. Ok, when I went in her room, I used a gown and gloves. I had to help with her dressings and she has so many. It takes to nurses and so I had to hold/ support her on one side of the bed while they took care of her dressings. And her body was pressing against me. Mistake. Thats when I learned she was on contact for mrsa- she said it was in her foot only. But doesn't it affect the whole body and she said that it had healed and she waiting to be retested.
Now before that, i wasn't as careful as I should have been, once while I was getting her ready for bed, I put my soiled gown in a bag and had an emergency put the bag down ( a patient was having a heart attack) then came back to the bag and picked it up with no gloves. Prior to knowing she had mrsa. She was on our rehab unit. And I set up her food and touch her without gloves because I didn't know she was even on contact until she was on our side and I have a daughter and I'm so scared and paranoid and I'm going to the doctor tomorrow and asking to be tested, but I'm so afraid thinking back on how I wasn't careful enough. Any advice?

You probably already had it. If they tested all the hospital employees they would probably have a few surprises.

ktwlpn, LPN · Oct 22, 2013

Most healthcare workers are colonized with it-that means it's on you. When they swab your nares you'll be positive.I'm not sure what the latest stats are for the general public,you can go to the CDC and the NIH web sites for info.It only becomes a problem for us if we contract an illness or a wound. Then you have somewhere for the MRSA to enter.This is something the cna's are taught during orientation at our facility.Can you go to your education department or charge nurse for some info? You'll sleep much better....

Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN · Oct 22, 2013

Agree with the above poster. You probably already have it. MRSA, ESBL, etc is everywhere. There are many people out in public positive for it . You are more likely to come in contact with it from a cart in Walmart than from a pt.

You say the MRSA was in a foot wound. And you had gloves on when touching the foot so you are fine.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Oct 22, 2013

We cannot offer medical advice as per the Terms of Service......however.....you come in contact with MRSA every day. ON grocery store carts. On the movie seats. The money you touch. If you aren't immunocompromised you should be fine. Always wash your hands. Speak to you PCP and look at the CDC website.....Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Infections | CDC

mzsuccess · Oct 22, 2013

thanks

mzsuccess · Oct 22, 2013

How can I already have mrsa, wouldn't I have symptoms or cuts or wounds? and have passed it on? And if it was only on the foot, is that as far as it can go? isn't it suppose to be everywhere.

Whispera, MSN, RN · Oct 22, 2013

Having the bacteria in you or on you doesn't mean you have an infection....you have lots of tiny critters on your skin, and they're not likely to cause you a bit of harm. MRSA is more of a problem to patients you might transfer it to, than it would be to you since you're not immunocompromised.

mzsuccess · Oct 22, 2013

Ok, I understand a little bit. But I was reading that it could contacted, from skin to wound contact and from even touching someone, bed rails and etc.

MunoRN, RN · Oct 22, 2013

How can I already have mrsa, wouldn't I have symptoms or cuts or wounds? and have passed it on? And if it was only on the foot, is that as far as it can go? isn't it suppose to be everywhere.

I think people confuse MRSA with necrotizing fascitis, or falsely assume it is a more aggressive form of bacteria, sort of like comparing 'killer' africanized bees to european bees. MRSA is just staph aureus (which is likely on you as we speak), but it's resistant to the methicillin group of antibiotics.

Tonight on Frontline (PBS) there is a special on bacterial resistance and it should be interesting.

featherzRN, MSN · Oct 22, 2013

I worked with MRSA every single day on every single patient back in the 80's and 90's and I'm still here. Heck, back then we had just started wearing gloves to do things. :) I am quite sure I'm colonized, as are a lot of healthcare workers. Never a problem.

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Oct 22, 2013

If they swabbed everyone's nose a big percent would be positive. Back in the 80's we had a huge MRSA breakout in our unit (it wasn't as common then) and some genius decided to swab all the nurses and staff. About half showed up

Positive. We all were treated with Bactroban up our noses.