For a patient with MRSA, what do you wear into their room?

[Ted D]

How much PPE is required?

[Flying ICU RN]

2) when transport is necessary, using appropriate barriers on the patient (e.g., mask, gown, wrapping in sheets or use of impervious dressings to cover the affected area(s) when infectious skin lesions or drainage are present, consistent with the route and risk of transmission;

The above quote, is from the CDC guidelines manual which our Infection Control department interprets literally. No gowns and gloves to be worn by personnel in the hallways, but strict gowns and gloves when in the patients room. We (staff nurses) suspect all those gowns and gloves look a bit scary in the hallways.

Apparently, the MRSA jumps off the patient just prior to going to CT scan or any other traveling procedure, and then leaps back on board upon return to the room.

[Turtle in scrubs]

Where is the MRSA? Blood, sputum, wound, urine, etc? For the most part we don't do much but depending on where it is will determine how I protect myself and reduce the risk of transmission to my other patients.

[grandmawrinkle]

I so wish we didn't isolate for MRSA ----

We were one of the last hospitals in my area to get on board with isolation precautions.

I don't know what the point is. I am about 98% sure that I would come up MRSA+ if I had a nares swab done.

But to OP, yes, I think the universal standard for MRSA is gloves/gown.

[TorsadesDePointesRN]

It depends on what I'm doing in the room. I always wear gloves but if I am not having any contact with a patient other than handing them a few pills, I don't bother gowning up. A respiratory therapist ripped me a new one on a particular morning yelling "MRSA JUMPS! it JUMPS!" I said, "it's a microorganism, not a flea. Airborne="jumping" contact means physically TOUCHING the patient." she totally disagreed with me. I don't know who's technically right. Probably her, but common sense tells me not to gown up when entering the room of a walkie talkie pt. with a history of MRSA whom I am giving 3 pills to. That's just overkill.

[loriangel14, RN]

We isloate but the patients are allowed to leave their rooms as long as they wash their hands first.Go figure.So if I go in to give someone pills I have to wear gloves but if they are in the hallway in their wheelchair I don't.

[supermotojen]

I'll definitely be wearing gown, gloves, and mask(if MRSA is in the pts respiratory system) in the room. A couple reason isolation precautions are in place is to protect yourself, the pateint, and others from the bacteria and to prevent it from spreading. MRSA bacteria also have the ability to transfer their genetics to other bacteria to make them pathogenic in most cases. For instance, if you have it on you when you leave the room and go into another pts room, it can invade other staph bacteria and make them pathogenic and resistant as well. A little SCARY!

[BacktotheBeach, ADN, BSN, RN]

Ok, weird story, and I am just a nursing student, BTW.

This summer at my neighborhood swimming pool where my son is a lifeguard, 2 guards turned up with MRSA. They were females, with sores on the back of legs/buttocks area. Both were hs athletes using the high school locker room facilities, too! The manager called the health department, but they weren't concerned, just said to clean the guard chairs with a bleach solution, keep towels clean, be sure the guards shower everyday. That was it!! One of the girl's dad is a doctor, so I felt at least he would handle getting her treated etc appropriately.

I found this unbelievable. Now that I am in clinicals, I don't see MRSA being treated all that seriously either.

[nursel56]

I'm having a hard time picturing how MRSA could jump. Sounds as if it's something the MRSA decided to do unless they are more or less jumping all the time and a few will get lucky and land on someone's hand. The others would be in free fall.

[laughing weasel]

I was told that MRSA is so common that if you have been a nurse for seven years you are colonized weather you realize it or not. I worry about spreading it but not catching it.

[bsyrn, ASN, RN]

If MRSA is in a wound and the wound is covered, gloves only unless doing a dressing change then it would be gloves & gown. If it is in the urine and the patient has a foley or you are assisting in the BR, gloves & gown. For resp MRSA gloves, gown and mask. Always protect yourself.

[belgarion]

Our hospital policy is pretty liberal as far as us using our common sense. It depends on where the MRSA is and what I'm doing. If I'm going to have full body contact transferring a patient from bed to BSC or chair then yes, I'll gown up, wear gloves, and probably a mask. If all I'm doing is handing out meds, filling a water pitcher,or delivering a food tray, then gloves work for me.

I'm sure it's this way other place but some of our patients tend to be very needy. If we had to gown up every time we go into their rooms to answer the call light, we'd never have time for anything else.

[Flying ICU RN]

I'm having a hard time picturing how MRSA could jump. Sounds as if it's something the MRSA decided to do unless they are more or less jumping all the time and a few will get lucky and land on someone's hand. The others would be in free fall.

The "leaping MRSA" description, is our way of making light of our hallway -vs- in room procedures.