Proper hand washing
helps stop the spread of
MRSA
Some questions and
Answers
Remember to wash:
Is MRSA more contagious
than other species of staph?
 after caring for each patient
 before leaving the room
 before putting on gloves and
after removing gloves
How is MRSA treated?
The antibiotic vancomycin is given
intravenously for MRSA infections.
No. It is just harder to treat.
Do I use something special to
clean or disinfect the room?
What health care workers
should know about
MRSA
Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus
Use the regular hospital approved
disinfectant.
REMEMBER ……..
Use Contact Isolation
Schedule known MRSA patients for the
end of the clinic day. When the patient
arrives, have the patient placed in an
exam room immediately.
Be sure to place a Contact Isolation sign
on the door of the patient’s room and a
matching Contact Isolation sticker on
the front of the chart.
 wear gloves for touching
infectious materials
 wear gowns if soiling of the
clothing is likely
 wear a mask if MRSA has been
found in the sputum (lower
respiratory infection.)
YOU are the Infection Control
Practitioners, because you are at
the bedside 24 hours daily
delivering patient care. We are all
part of the Infection Control
Team. With cooperation from all
services, we can control this
organism. If you have questions,
do not hesitate to call us:
60725
Beepers:
835-1205 – Vicki Brinsko
835-1206 – Missy Travis
835-1207 – Kathie Wilkerson
835-5310 - Jena Skinner
835-8560 - Tracy Hann
835-9353 - Jan Szychowski
MRSA is a germ that can cause
Staph infection. It is resistant to
most antibiotics including
methicillin, the longtime drug of
choice for treating many common
Staph infections.
MRSA is found in hospitals and in
many nursing homes and other
health care facilities. It is hard to
stamp out, easily spread, and hard
to treat. It is found increasingly
more often in the community.
MRSA is not a threat to a healthy
person – many healthy people
carry the germ, but MRSA usually
causes infection only in those with
weakened defenses.
2001
Risk Factors for MRSA
Infection
Many patients have lowered defenses
against infection. That means they are
already at risk for MRSA. Special risk
factors include:
Surgery
Prolonged or repeated hospital
stays
The skin is the body’s first line of
defense against infectious agents. Burns
give MRSA easy entry. ICU patients in
poor health are prime targets for MRSA.
Being over age 65
The risk of MRSA infection goes up the
more times a patient spends in a health
care facility where MRSA is present.
How MRSA spreads
Many older people have lowered
resistance to illness. As people age, their
immunity and ability to fight off
infection wanes.
In most cases, MRSA is spread by direct
contact between health care workers and
their patients.
Treatment with multiple
antibiotics
Open wounds create an ideal opening
for MRSA. Since surgery also leaves the
patient in a weakened state, he or she
may have a harder time fighting off
MRSA.
Invasive Devices or Procedures
Antibiotics can reduce the number of
helpful bacteria in the body. Without a
healthy supply of these bacteria, the
body has a harder time fighting off
intruders.
Severe illness or disability
These include:
 gastric/endotracheal tubes
 catheters
 surgical drains
A stay in a Burn Unit or ICU
Seriously ill or disabled patients are
generally less able to defend themselves
against infection.
Health care workers are the main
carriers of MRSA. Through direct
contact with patients, you can get MRSA
on your hands and transmit the germ to
other patients. Remember, you do not
have to be infected with MRSA to be a
carrier.
MRSA is not usually spread through the
air, but on the hands of health care
workers. Gloves can spread MRSA as
well. So..... removing gloves between
patients and washing your hands is
essential.