MRSA transmission

Whispera, MSN, RN · Jul 19, 2011

Where was his MRSA? In his lungs/nares? skin? GI tract? I always thought the danger of MRSA, unless the infection was in the skin or open wounds, was to breathe it in. Masks were the biggest requirement where I worked.

I doubt you would pick up an infection through your skin unless you had open areas on the skin where he touched you, if he had the skin variety of MRSA. The big danger in MRSA, truly, is taking it from one patient to another. We wear the isolation get-up and take it off and wash hands before leaving the room, so we don't take whatever gets on the get-up out into the hall and to other patients.

CEK223 · Jul 19, 2011

I believe it was in his nares, but I am not 100% certain. I was originally told he was on rule out isolation. Then later in the day, my precepting nurse told me his culture came back positive. I realize now I need to start asking for further explanation since a + result can mean different things. He was on contact isolation only, and numerous times my cooperating nurse wore only gloves when dealing with him. But then again, she also cut one of the fingers off her glove when starting an IV on him. Yikes...

dprevish · Jul 19, 2011

If you have been around several MRSA patients, you are probably already colonized to it. Systemic MRSA is different than community acquired MRSA and most people in the healthcare industry would probably test positive if they had a nose swab. It's a very common thing and unless it is systemic not that worrisome to those with healthy immune systems. (This is what I was told by my physician when my son came down with a MRSA skin infection because I was freaking out a little) I just used universal precautions for myself and used Lysol on everything we owned, washed everything, especially towels he bathed with in HOT water with a HOT rinse and dried everything on the highest setting possible. I alcohol swabbed all doorknobs, remote controls, cordless phones ect. Can you tell I was freaking out? LOL

ZippyGBR, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2011

If you are fit and well and don't have uncovered wounds the greatest risk from contact with an MRSA patient is that you get some on your skin /clothes and spread it by not not doing proper hand hygiene or not using aprons / gowns ...

have you ever wondered why Hospital Staff aren't swabbed on a weekly basis like inpatients are ? - it's because the hospital would be paralysed by the number of staff who would have to excluded for at least 5 days to decolonise ( on the same basis as you must be 48 hours symptom free after D+V)