Is it true all nurses get MRSA or C-DIFF?

[mzsuccess]

I was at work last night and the nurses were talking as if it was normal.

I love working in healthcare, but as you know accidents happen, like urine splashing on you/clothing, someone spitting on you or rushing in without gloves during an emergency.

I'm starting nursing school next year but seriously thinking its not for me.

They say, that all nurses get it? Is it true?

I wouldn't want to expose this to my family or other patients that why I practice good hygiene. Any insight?

[Sefl]

If you are more worried about what you may or may not get, perhaps nursing isn't for you. No, I don't WANT to take something home to my family, but I DO want to serve others who are sick or dying. It's not about me or what might happen, is about them and caring for them.

[MC1RmutationLPN]

That's a myth-you can't get them from a flu shot.

You CAN, however, get pregnant from a flu shot.

You can also get Zika from the flu shot. My uncle did. Lol

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

If you are more worried about what you may or may not get, perhaps nursing isn't for you. No, I don't WANT to take something home to my family, but I DO want to serve others who are sick or dying. It's not about me or what might happen, is about them and caring for them.

What a rude post! The previous poster has been an ER nurse for 13 years -- I suspect she knows by now whether or not nursing is for her. I cannot even applaud your "caring attitude" because I suspect you've been infected with "the calling", which tends to make people nasty and judgmental when they encounter someone who isn't infected.

Yes, it is true that if you did a nasal swab on them, most health care workers would grow out MRSA. That doesn't mean they're infected or will have any issues from it. As for C. Diff - you're more likely to acquire it in the community than at work where C. Diff patients are in isolation.

[Brandidrn]

I have never had C-diff and been in ICU three times where they tested me upon admission and on my way to the floor and was always negative. I took care of a TB patient for days before they told us he had it and working in the emergency room I am sure I have been exposed to things not yet named. I use the universal precautions we all know and I am not a big antibacterial hand sanitizer user I do take my shoes off before going in my house and strip my clothes before hugging anyone and in almost 29 years no one in my family nor I have been ill from something I gave them, except maybe the flu so just be smart. Good luck!

[RNfaster]

Check out the following evidence-based articles that suggest that healthcare workers are not colonized by C. difficile in high numbers:

Prevalence of Clostridium difficile colonization among healthcare workers | BMC Infectious Diseases | Full Text

© Friedman et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2013

Conclusion - With the use of a screening test and culture, we were able to determine that colonization with C. difficile among HCWs (healthcare workers) in our setting is rare. This may reflect potential colonization resistance of the gut microbiota, or the success of infection prevention strategies such as hand hygiene and glove use at our institution.

Low colonization rates of Clostridium difficile among patients and healthcare workers at Orebro University Hospital in Sweden. - PubMed - NCBI

APMIS. 2015 Mar;123(3):240-4. doi: 10.1111/apm.12353. Epub 2015 Jan 28.

In conclusion, with observed low colonization rates, we find no support that HCWs (healthcare workers) would be an important source for C. difficile transmission.

[RNfaster]

The data just doesn't support that a majority of healthcare workers are colonized with MRSA, much less S. aureus. Below are some links to evidence-based articles related to MRSA and healthcare workers. --Note that S. aureus is described --with higher colonization rates, along with MRSA --which has lower colonization rates.

MRSA carriage among healthcare workers in non-outbreak settings in Europe and the United States: a systematic review | BMC Infectious Diseases | Full Text

The prevalence of MRSA colonisation among HCWs was assessed in two reviews to be around 5%, on the basis of 127 papers published between 1980 and March 2006 [6] and a further 18 papers published between April 2006 and March 2010 [13].

The Prevalence of Nasal Carriage of Staphylococcus Aureus Among Healthcare Workers at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Assam with Special Reference to MRSA

In our study, we found that 22.22% of the HCWs carried S.aureus in their anterior nares and that 11.43% of these were MRSA

Prevalence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Carriage amongst Health Care Workers of Critical Care Units in Kasturba Medical College Hospital, Mangalore, India

In our study, nasal carriage of S. aureus among healthcare workers who were involved in the management of critically ill patients was 17.5%. The S.aureus carriage was particularly high among doctors (32.5%) and housekeeping personnel (26.7%). However, the MRSA carriage rate among health care personnel who were involved in the critically ill patients was only 2.5%.

[Garden,RN, ASN, RN]

Not only no, but hell no. The fact is that if we practice proper precautions we should not get either. There are exceptions but not the rule. Not only have I with a weakened immune system never gotten it. I have never met a nurse that has had either.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

You do realize you get exposed to MRSA in the general public, right? As far as c-diff, wash your hands. No hand sanitizer

The CDC now tracks two modes of transmission of c-diff: hospital/facility acquired - and community acquired. It's out there, too.

It almost killed my mother three years ago. She had no recent hospitalizations - but nearly died of c-diff.

[rbekt2005]

Yes, you will be exposed. And yes, you will probably test positive. You will get "catch" some kind of infection from a patient during your nursing career. You will get hit,bit and hurt from doing patient care. That's unfortunately part of the job,if you can't handle it...get out now

[dayspringacres]

Not true at all. I had a new hip installed last year, was tested for MRSA, and came back negative. Yes, we have chances every day to catch something, and i HAVE caught Norovirus, first time while thong prep classes for nursing school.

Never touch your face unless you've just washed your hands and haven't touched ANYTHING, even at the nurses station. Scrupulous hand hygiene going into and out of rooms. Drink lots of fluids while at work. Don't eat out of community bags or bowls. Pour them out and insist every one else do the same, say you are concerned for their health, too. Computers harbour germs, so wipe down before your shift. Change clothes when you get home.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I've been in nursing since '87, and have had neither. Never been tested for MRSA of course, but I have cats and foster kittens, and never had an abcess from one of their scratches.

[stucker2]

I've been a nurse for 23+ years and even cared for my mother with MRSA. I'm disease free. If you remember the importance of hand hygiene and respect isolation guidelines, you'll be fine. And always change your clothes as soon as you get home.