Privacy curtains are covered in MRSA

[klone, MSN, RN]

The researchers tracked the contamination rate of 10 freshly laundered privacy curtains at a hospital in Winnipeg, Canada.

The curtains had minimal contamination when they were first hung, but curtains hung in patient rooms became increasingly contaminated over time. By day 14 of the study period, 87.5 percent of the curtains tested positive for MRSA. Curtains that were not placed in patient rooms, however, stayed clean the entire 21 days of the study.

Read more

[Flatline, BSN, RN]

Assume everything is covered in everything, if crime shows taught us anything it is that everything is covered in bodily fluids as well.

[Davey Do]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]27527[/ATTACH]

[Davey Do]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]27528[/ATTACH]

[Aunt Slappy]

Not shocked

[vanilla bean]

I always assume every fabric surface in the hospital is covered with every conceivable body fluid and the bugs that can grow in them.

[CharleeFoxtrot, BSN, RN]

I always assume every fabric surface in the hospital is covered with every conceivable body fluid and the bugs that can grow in them.

That, and those disgusting magazines lying around. I swear if I had a dollar for each time I saw someone sneeze directly into the pages (((shudders)))

I always tell my vulnerable patients to not touch them and bring their own reading material.

[cleback]

Yeah, I know a big push in a large Healthcare organization near me was to either get rid of them or have a regular laundering schedule.

Just think, there were at least some curtains that never got washed.

[Davey Do]

I know a big push in a large Healthcare organization near me was to either get rid of them or have a regular laundering schedule.

At Wrongway Regional Medical Center, the unit which houses geriatric psych was once a medical unit, complete with privacy curtains.

The curtains were removed for patient safety purposes and it's a chore at times providing privacy.

On a similar note, we once had a patient admitted after a therapist saw the individual attempt to take their own life by wrapping toilet paper around their neck.

I can only imagine the scene and be thankful the toilet paper was not of the extra strength variety!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]27532[/ATTACH]

I just had a thought: What would happen if Joint Commission banned toilet paper due to it being a patient safety hazard?

Ew! The humanity!

[brownbook]

I always assume every fabric surface in the hospital is covered with every conceivable body fluid and the bugs that can grow in them.

I always assume every surface (and every body), in my house, car, grocery store, library, etc., are covered with every conceivable body fluid and the bugs that can grow on them.

No germaphobe here.....living well and seldom sick at age 67.

Haven't you all learned that most germs are our friends, or at least live in peaceful coexistence with us.

Wait...I thought of more, airplane and motel room.

[vanilla bean]

No germaphobe here.....living well and seldom sick at age 67.

Haven't you all learned that most germs are our friends, or at least live in peaceful coexistence with us.

Sure have. I simply try to be mindful of the danger these surfaces can be to those vulnerable patients in our care that have immature or compromised immune systems.

I'm also living well and seldom sick, but not going to tell my age

[offlabel]

If curtains carry the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse, 10's of thousands of bedside provider's nostrils carry the the horses...