MRSA Concerns

Published

Okay, I didn't intend to ask for medical advice with my last post, but I guess it could have been construed that way. And my children are quite healthy, actually, despite their mother's anxiety. Let's try again.

Are people here concerned about bringing MRSA into their homes?

Is there anything you do to help you deal with those concerns?

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I too was a bit confused that the post was locked. Really this is a big nursing issue since we are on the front lines. The MRSA that is causing so much problems for the healthy people seems to be the community acquired type. This strain for whatever reasons is much more nasty. The plus side of this is that it is treatable with more medications such as Bactrim.

Is it possible to bring home a bug to your family, absolutely but really if you are prudent and practice infection control along with frequent hand washing the risk is minimized. I think the bigger risk at this time are the things you personally have no control over such as the people or places in the community who do not practice good hygeine. Schools, sport facilities and daycares just to name a few.

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I was confused too, when I got in to respond. Handwashing should be enough, but if you're really scared about it, change your clothes and shoes before you come home.

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Specializes in ED.

I'm not that concerned about it. No matter what I do, my family will probably come in contact with it anyway. All I can do it teach them good hygine and handwashing.

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I'm not that concerned about it. No matter what I do, my family will probably come in contact with it anyway. All I can do it teach them good hygine and handwashing.

There is a belief that it's a common skin organism

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Is it true that many people have MRSA but do not show any symtoms of it? Our nursing instructor told my classmate that many nurses do have MRSA because they work in the hospital..I do not know if this is true or not..

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

My girlfriend has the perfect house. You walk in the backdoor from the garage and there is a room with washer/dryer and a shower and sink and toilet. You could come in/change/shower before you step into your house. This is my fantasy that I will probably never get.

I must start buying lottery tickets.

Of course then I wouldn't need the perfect house, I could quit.

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Specializes in ED.
There is a belief that it's a common skin organism

Thats very true. Many people in general including health professionals have MRSA colonizations. The one that gets healthy people is the community accuired MRSA and thats worse than the one accuired in a health care setting. CA-MRSA is the one in schools, prisons, locker rooms, and other places. Thats why unless you sterilize your home and never leave, you will run into MRSA.

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Specializes in ED.
My girlfriend has the perfect house. You walk in the backdoor from the garage and there is a room with washer/dryer and a shower and sink and toilet. You could come in/change/shower before you step into your house. This is my fantasy that I will probably never get.

I must start buying lottery tickets.

Of course then I wouldn't need the perfect house, I could quit.

I wouldn't mind having something like that here. I was taking care of an airborn isolation patient this weekend and called to tell dh to keep the garage door open when I come home so I could strip down in the garage and keep the kids from hanging all over any possibly infected clothes.

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

For me, I just use universal precautions at work, and first thing when I get home is get those scrubs and shoes off and get into something more comfy. I wash my hands all the time and after work and as I walk into the home, and if it was a pretty gross day...shower too. This is done before anyone hugs or gets to close to me :).

My hubby is a paramedic, and he does the same. We don't think it will stop anything as much as it lowers the risk of passing something onto our loved ones at home.

Heck, my kids bring nastier bugs home from school alone...LOL!

So am I afraid, no...just cautious and use general common sence to lower the risks at work and at home.

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My 2 year old grandson was in the local Children's Hospital for tests- Although the Doctor said no IV- one was placed- Blood cultures drawn on the first night he was there were clear- 72 hours later----103 temp, very sick, blood culture showed MRSA.

He is home now- on his second round of Clindamycin, causing diarrhea.

104 temp last night. Dr. visit 2 days in a row.

Not a good situation. Very little hand washing done by nurses.

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Not in reference to MRSA, just in general, I come home, take shoes off inside the door, get out of uniform and into the shower.

I wouldn't even think of doing anything or getting into other clothes without showering and shampooing first.

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