Nurse with active MRSA OR previous history caring for pts

[LetsFixNursing]

I would think she couldn't work or would have to gown, glove and mask up for every patient. A nurse can work having HIV right? Could a nurse with MRSA work without jeopardizing patient care. Thoughts?

[BeachsideRN, ASN]

With active MRSA, I think it depends on the facility policy. There is no reason that having a previous MRSA infection should preclude a person from working as a nurse.

[BeachsideRN, ASN]

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/can-nurses-with-308470.html

[canned_bread]

Most of us, especially after working in healthcare, have MRSA in our groins and arm pits etc. It's a community bacteria. We did a test when I was at university and swabbed each other. A good 60% of us had it in our nose, groins, armpits. It's susceptible patients that are at risk and it's just unfortunate. It doesn't mean you have to not work.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

When I volunteered before I was licensed in infection control, the infection control nurse answered it as in as long as the infection site could be covered up. This was about 5 years ago or so.

We giggled about how an environmental service tech from another hospital is automatically put into isolation because of her hx but she would be the person we'd call to clean the rooms when discharged from the ER. However, that ER does not do isolations in the ER.

[lemonstolemonade]

When I was in nursing school, I had a classmate that was working as a CNA who got sick and found out she had MRSA. She had to take a leave of absence from both work and school but when she when the infection was no longer active, she was welcomed back to both. I guess it depends on policies.

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Most of us, especially after working in healthcare, have MRSA in our groins and arm pits etc. It's a community bacteria. We did a test when I was at university and swabbed each other. A good 60% of us had it in our nose, groins, armpits. It's susceptible patients that are at risk and it's just unfortunate. It doesn't mean you have to not work.

Way back in the early 90s in nursing school/ microbiology, we did this too. Many of us were colonized back then. I've rarely been sick since then.

[luvmyc]

My son got MRSA from his nurses during his cardiac arrest. So yeah, I was exposed to it for years before I became a nurse and I'm sure it's colonized in me. It definitely doesn't jeopardize my patient's care.