Do Doctors know what Isolation precautions mean??

[Christean]

I am a student nurse,and I've had a few situations with isolation precautions and doctors that concern me. 1st situation was a 11 yr. old ped. pt. with osteosarcoma with mets to the chest wall. He had had finished chemo/radiation 1 week ago and was now admitted for fever unknown orgin. Labs showed WBC .4, Platelets 5, etc.. Of course this pt. was on isolation. When the Dr. came in he didn't even wash his hands- NO gown, NO gloves. As a student nurse- I felt this dr. was jeopardizing this pt. and didn't know how to handle the situation, so I said nothing. Now, today I had a pt. with MRSA and Psuedamonas on isolation. A surgeon came in for a quick consult and he did gown/glove, but after he finished with the pt. he asked me (a student nurse) how he was suppossed to take his gown/gloves off and wash his hands without contaminating things! I wanted to ask him- what are you going to do when you do surgery on this pt. in 2 days?!? Any comments/suggestions on this kind of a scenario?

[Mammy1111]

My father died this month of HA MRSA pneumonia. In his hospital they did NO SCREENING cultures, inconsistant precautions, Isolation only after MRSA diagnosis..which was 8 days into my fathers second hospitalization. He was given his infection at the same hospital during a 12 day stay for rehab for a minor fracture.

Doctors comments on Precautions were..."it's a nursing thing". "MRSA happens and there just isn't much you can do about it" "Let's face it. if you have worked in health care you are most likely colonized yourself". All of these comments are incredibly ignorant and irresponsible.

When they get State mandates, the picture will change. I have written a proposal for just that in the State of Maine.