Isolation:
Respiratory MRSA
Isolation:
Respiratory MRSA
What is MRSA?Methicillin-resistant Staphaureus. This organism is very resistant to antibiotics.How do we contract it?
MRSA may be introduced into a health care facility from the community, transfer of MRSA patients from nursing homes or other hospitals.How is it spread?
Caregiver's hands may become exposed and cross contamination can easily occur. It can be spread by droplets when patients cough productively.Care of the MRSA patient.
- Private room or mixing of two patients with MRSA if private room is not available.
- Gloves when touching infected sites.
- Gowns if soiling of clothing is anticipated.
- Gloves, gowns and masks, if patient is coughing productively, must be changed between patients.
- Door is to be closed for respiratory precautions if patient is coughing productively and has MRSA positive sputum.
- Precautions during transport to other areas is needed. Mask, dressings, briefs as needed.
- Equipment should remain at patient's bedside, and be disinfected between patients.
- Contaminated waste will be red bagged.
- Standard precautions will be maintained throughout the hospital stay. This means the caregiver will wear gloves, gown, and mask when exposure to blood and body fluids is anticipated during your care.
- Precautions will be maintained until two negative sputum cultures are obtained;
- first culture should be performed 72 hours after completion of antimicrobial therapy, and
- repeated in 24 hours.
- Special precaution for dishes not needed.
Patient discharge or transfer.
Environmental Services will be notified to perform discharge cleaning.
