outpatient mrsa protocol

[linguine]

Hello!

I work in outpatient and we have been seeing many cases come back MRSA+ (and these are only the cases that the providers attempted to culture.)

Patients are given Bactrim as a first line treatment if MRSA is suspected. While in the hospitals, isolation is much easier, how do we prevent the spread of infection in the outpatient setting? Right now, the protocol is hand hygiene (no gowns necessary) and to lysol-wipe the entire room once a MRSA+ (or suspected) patient leaves. We also routinely wipe down common areas routinely throughout the day, but this routine is not patient dependent but rather time dependent (on the hour, q2 hour, etc..)

We also provide patient education to help patients decrease the chance of spreading an active infection to those they have close contact with.

Any nurses work in outpatient who experience a similar challenge in how to prevent spread of infection in an outpatient setting?

Thank you for your input!

[umcRN, BSN, RN]

Difficult concept even in some inpatient units. For example I work in a NICU. We have private rooms and cohort MRSA patients together at the end of one hall. Nurses do not take care of a MRSA and non MRSA patients. But what happens when mom and dad spend all afternoon with the baby? We do not require parents to wear gowns or gloves, then the parents go and eat lunch in the waiting room, use the bathrooms, talk with other parents. Use the computers etc etc etc, and suddenly you have five or six more MRSA patients the next week. Its tough

[lactamase]

We do almost the same precautions in our hospital but we require anyone who will enter the room to wear gowns and gloves.

[jeffsher]

MRSA is widespread in the community. In our clinic, we wipe down exam rooms where there has been drainage from a MRSA wound; otherwise, standard precautions.

[SilentfadesRPA]

You wrote the following "......... But what happens when mom and dad spend all afternoon with the baby? We do not require parents to wear gowns or gloves, then the parents go and eat lunch in the waiting room, use the bathrooms, talk with other parents. Use the computers etc etc etc, and suddenly you have five or six more MRSA patients the next week."

I am not challenging you but sincerely am wondering if the hospital could be held liable allowing this type of situation to go on with others being exposed? Has this been considered ?

Thank you

Marc

[usalsfyre]

Wrong thread...

BUT, MRSA is wide spread. Anyone who has spent time in healthcare most likely is colonized with it.