MRSA INFECTION
What YOU Should Know About MRSA
What is MRSA?
(Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus)
It is a strain of a very common germ (or bacteria) called Staphylococcus Aureus.
The MRSA strain of this germ or bacteria is resistant to certain antibiotics – such as methicillin (a type of penicillin) as well as to other antibiotics commonly used to treat infections.
MRSA is difficult to treat because there are only a few antibiotics that will kill it.
It can live harmlessly on the skin and in some chronic wounds, such as leg ulcers. It can cause problems if it does get into a skin break such as surgical wound or a normally sterile body cavity, such as your bladder.
MRSA stands for:
- (M) methicillin
- (R) resistant
- (S) staphylococcus
- (A) aureus
MRSA can be passed from one person to another by skin to skin contact, contact with items and surfaces that have MRSA on them, and openings in the skin such as cuts, wounds or scrapes. It can be passed on if good hand washing practices are not carried out.
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How does MRSA change the way that I am cared for in the hospital – and what will happen now?
After being diagnosed with MRSA, your nurse may take more swabs to check if the MRSA is confined to one or two parts of your body or if it is widespread. You will be placed on contact precautions – this means staff are required to wear gloves when providing care to you to help prevent the spread of infection.
Your doctor will consider the need to prescribe treatment for you or not. Treatment depends on how widespread the MRSA infection is or if you are colonized with MRSA (just carrying MRSA without it causing infection).
If you have an infection, you may be treated with special antibiotics.
If you are colonized, you may be prescribed a special body wash and or antibiotic cream for your nose. This will help to remove and reduce the MRSA from the places where it lives.
In addition, you may be moved to a single room in order to prevent spreading MRSA to other patients in the hospital. A sign will be put on your door to alert caregivers and visitors on what they need to do prior to entering your room.
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How can I help?
When you are admitted to the hospital you are in a setting that is shared with other patients. You can help yourself and other patients by:
- Always washing and drying your hands after using the bathroom, before and after eating, after coughing or sneezing
- Not touching your wound or any device that is in your arm/leg/bladder or other body cavity like a catheter.
- Not exposing your wound to visitors.
- Help keep the space around you tidy and uncluttered so that cleaning staff has access to all surfaces – your visitors or relatives can help you.
- Don’t worry about reminding staff about THEIR hand washing practices - if you have any concern that they may have forgotten (alcohol gels are nearby and they have used this to cleans their hands - an effective alternative)– they won’t be offended.
- Not sharing possessions or equipment with other patients unless it has been cleaned.
- Asking your visitors to wash and dry their hands thoroughly before and after entering your room and not to sit on your bed or toilet.
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Can I have visitors – or can MRSA harm my family and friends?
Yes you can have visitors. When visitors follow the simple basic precautions posted outside your door, they will to a large extent, be protecting themselves.
The sign on your door will inform them to:
- See the nurse before entering,
- Wash and dry their hands before entering your room,
- Wear the disposable gloves available to them outside your door,
- Prior to leaving your room, to dispose of their gloves in the available receptacle and to wash and dry their hands so that they do not spread MRSA to other people.
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Will I need treatment for MRSA when I go home?
If you have a local or serious infection, you may need to continue treatment when you go home.
If you are colonized with MRSA, you may or may not be treated.
Things YOU can do when you go home:
- Remember to wash and dry your hands frequently and instruct family members to do the same.
- Wash bed linens and towels that you were in contact with prior to going to the hospital with hot soapy water.
- Clean all countertops, door knobs, and bathroom surfaces with a disinfectant.
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Where can I get more information on MRSA?
Visit the Centers of Disease Control website at: http://www.cdc.gov
If you have any other questions about your condition, please don’t hesitate to ask your physician or nurse for more information.
If you are unsure about any infection control issues, ask to speak with the Infection Control Nurse or call Infection Control at (386) 917-5061.
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