MRSA Support Group

I am pleased to share a post that I submitted to a nusrsing assistants discussion group. I wish to encouage you all to consider participating in an attempt to eradicate MRSA. You may also wish to review an earlier post that I submitted to this group. The topic was "Community Testing: A Key to MRSA Eradication." It is based on a simple, inexpensive way to test public places for MRSA. A task force is needed to do the testing and increase awareness of the growing MRSA problem. I look forward to your comments and e-mails to s3support@mail.com Kind regards,

W. John Martin, MD, Ph.D. Says:

The issue of testing patients for MRSA upon admission to a hospital has more to deal with inadequate infection control methods than protecting patients’ privacy. Not testing patients on admission allows for a legal defense of self infection, rather than a hospital acquired infection.

More to the point is why healthcare personnel are not insisting on knowing whether they are MRSA carriers or are working in a MRSA contaminated workspace. In some surveys, up to 9% of healthcare providers are now MRSA carriers. Quite apart from an ethical responsibility for patients, such carriers are a major risk for themselves, family members and other individuals within the community. No longer are sick people solely at risk for MRSA. The emerging strains are a growing menace to otherwise healthy individuals; including those participating in contact sports, young children engaging in rough and tumble playground activities, and everyone in whom there is a breach of the normal barrier function of the skin or respiratory tract.

Concerning workplace safety, it is unfair to the staff that patients and hospital environmental areas are not routinely screened for MRSA. Many infection control personnel believe they are actually prohibited from doing so by CDC and JCAHO guidelines. Certainly they are being discouraged by hospital administrators.

MRSA testing plates cost only a few dollars and should be widely employed in hospitals and other public places. Indeed, such plates could be used to spearhead a long overdue national MRSA eradication program. Unless such action is taken, it is predicted that MRSA mortality may well surpass that of AIDS. Volunteers from around the country are needed to help screen community areas for MRSA and to report results to those responsible for cleansing the areas. For additional information please refer to www.s3support.com or send an emial to s3support@mail.com Kind regards, W. John Martin, M.D., Ph.D. Institute of Progressive Medicine ( a non-profit public charity).

12/28/2006 @ 4:59 pm
Posted on 12/29/06, 11:12 am