Having a hard time understanding MRSA......

Nurses General Nursing

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Ok, so I know someone can get "colonized" with MRSA and it can be found out by swabbing their nares. Many of us nurses are probably MRSA positive if we all got swabbed. My question though, is what exactly does this mean? How would we infect others or become infected ourselves if it is in our nares? If we touched our nares, and then touched one of our wounds, would we infect ourselves with MRSA in the wound? I'm SO confused!!!

Oops...sorry for the double post

Specializes in ICU.

Aside from handwashing, keep your hands away from your eyes and nose.

Conjured up the same image for me, oneofthegoodguys! LOL....

But, on a serious note, I have noticed among ppl...patients as well as general population that there seems to be a 'stigma' attached to being labeled MRSA. I get the feeling ppl think they are going to be thought of as being 'dirty' or something. I think the more the general population is educated about this the better....

But for sure they need to be educated not to wipe boogers in wounds....LOL...again just joking with this last comment!

Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

I think if we tested everyone who hit the door - ICU, ER, M/S, surgery, well baby clinic, literally everyone who touches the health system - we'd find the colonization numbers are much higher than we think they are.

Give it another 10 years, and the people isolation will be the people who are negative.

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