hospital acquired infections

[Forest Hill]

What is the name of your state?Georgia
Does any one on the forum know the true devastation of a Staph (MRSA) infection? After reading some of the reply's by the members there does not seem to be much knowledge regarding this horrific infection. After all it is a
"hospital" acquired infection. If a person is laid out on an operating table, having surgery and the entire body is draped with the exception of the surgical site, there is no way the patient is responsible for acquiring this infection. Any infection disease doctor will tell you, clean, clean and double clean the instruments, their hands and any other object used during surgery. Unclean objects and persons within a hospital is the "major" cause of this infection. If any one is interested? Tonight on Paula Zahn-CNN @ 8PM there will be a discussion of this subject. Will also feature families who have experienced this infection and/or family members who have suffered weeks and years from this infection.
Please don't close this thread as I truly believe most people will want to know the real truth about this infection.
Thanks, and my question would be. Who is interested in finding out more about MRSA?
www.stophospitalinfections.org

 

[panzertanker]

What is the name of your state?Georgia
Does any one on the forum know the true devastation of a Staph (MRSA) infection? After reading some of the reply's by the members there does not seem to be much knowledge regarding this horrific infection. After all it is a
"hospital" acquired infection. If a person is laid out on an operating table, having surgery and the entire body is draped with the exception of the surgical site, there is no way the patient is responsible for acquiring this infection. Any infection disease doctor will tell you, clean, clean and double clean the instruments, their hands and any other object used during surgery. Unclean objects and persons within a hospital is the "major" cause of this infection. If any one is interested? Tonight on Paula Zahn-CNN @ 8PM there will be a discussion of this subject. Will also feature families who have experienced this infection and/or family members who have suffered weeks and years from this infection.
Please don't close this thread as I truly believe most people will want to know the real truth about this infection.
Thanks, and my question would be. Who is interested in finding out more about MRSA?
www.stophospitalinfections.org

Let me give you a preview of what you will learn tonight:

1. The operating suite is NOT the ONLY place to aquire MRSA
2. The unclean "hands and objects" belong to visitor's, friends, family and others, not just the hospital employees
3. MRSA resides in many places, such as Nursing Homes, Long term care facilities and Assisted living facilities, to name a few

1. To answer your first question: YES. I have watched people die from MRSA.
2. To answer your second question: I hope everyone is interested. The more informed the public is, the better the chances of lay people decreasing the rate of transmission too.

 

[Forest Hill]

Mrsa

We understand that the operating suite is not the only place to acquire MRSA, however, when a patient has heart by pass and then three days later the STAPH is concentrated in and on the sternum ( that was exposed and severed) during surgery, then the only logical place would be the operating room. As the incision was made and closed in the operating room.
There was no friends, or family in the operating room, only hospital employees. And no one opened the incision during those three days and infected him with MRSA.

Does anyone within the forum understand that the rate of transmission is largely by hospital employees?

If there is an infection disease specialist on this forum, it would be great to hear from them and anyone from JCAHO. They have the inside "scoop" of these infections and the majority of fault lies within the hospital and their employees.
Does anyone beleive the hospital and their employees should share any of the negligence or should all fault be on the patient?

Also, if he hospital and their employees shift the blame to the patient, why do they NOT release their hospital infection records? Seems if none of it is their fault, there would be no problem in releasing their records and make them public?

Thanks and appreciate the forum

 

[barry1817]

staph infection

I have had experience with a case involving an infection in a dental office. What was shown was that the dentist had violated the minimum standards of infection control, and the case became a simple case of black and white negligence.

If you can find that the hospital violated a standard, then you can probably show a negligence that would make for a very strong case.

Will take some leg work to research the standards that must be met, and to see if there was a problem with the hospital following them.

Not an easy situation to show.

[email protected]

 

[panzertanker]

Does anyone within the forum understand that the rate of transmission is largely by hospital employees?

Those of us in healthcare know this, yes. I, and no one else, ever said differently.

If there is an infection disease specialist on this forum, it would be great to hear from them and anyone from JCAHO.

I do not believe there is...

They have the inside "scoop" of these infections and the majority of fault lies within the hospital and their employees.

What "scoop"??? There is no big "coverup". MRSA started as a staph aureus that became extremely resistant; from poor handwashing/infection control, poor use of antibiotics, and ignorance. No big "conspiracy" there...

Does anyone beleive the hospital and their employees should share any of the negligence or should all fault be on the patient?

What do you mean? Who says "all fault should be on the patient"???

Also, if he hospital and their employees shift the blame to the patient, why do they NOT release their hospital infection records?

Again, what in the world are you talking about???

Seems if none of it is their fault

Where do you get your information, conspiracy.com???

there would be no problem in releasing their records and make them public?

That is a POLITICAL problem, and one that will be fought for a very long time...

 

[Shay-Pari'e]

You don't have to walk into a hospital to get this.


http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/hip/aresist/ca_mrsa_public.htm

 

[panzertanker]

You don't have to walk into a hospital to get this.


http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/hip/aresist/ca_mrsa_public.htm

That's not what
conspiracy.com
says!!!
PARIDISE, why would you cite the CDCP, such an untrustworthy organization???

 

[ellencee]

I watched the Paula Zahn special on MRSA and I could have slapped her silly. True to sensationalism in the media, Ms. Zahn failed to tell the whole story. Granted, Ms. Zahn doesn't have enough time to air all of the extraordinary measures taken by all hospital staff to prevent the spread of microorganisms; she doesn't have enough air time to present all of the actions in the OR or to present all of the changes in medication regimens aimed at preventing these superinfections. She didn't have enough time to say that one of the main reasons these resistant organisms developed is a direct result from measures taken to prevent lawsuits over hospital acquired infections.

The greedy public has to accept some responsibility for the presence of and damage from these resistant organisms. You can bet that attempts to quell these resistant organisms will result in the appearance of microorganisms that make MRSA look like a harmless germ...keep the attitude that hospitals can and should prevent all MRSA infections and the resulting new superinfections are going to make MRSA seem a desirable alternative.

The poster is upset about a sternal wound from MRSA. The main source of MRSA in a sternal wound in the patient's nares. That's why swabbing the nares of patients anticipating sternal surgery is standard in every facility of which I have any knowledge and in every protocol that I have read. Even with the using of Bactroban to inhibit the spread of MRSA from the nares into the wound, and inspite of precise managment of antibiotics pre-op, perioperatively, and if indicated-postoperatively, and even with keeping the patient's blood sugar at the lowest possible level (asymptomatic), some patients will develop MRSA sternal wounds and the wounds will be hell to endure, hell to treat, and extremely morbid in outcome. The only way to prevent sternal wound infections is not to perform any more chest surgeries and the only way to keep MRSA from spreading in the hospital or in the community is to get rid of all living things.

Who in their freakin' right mind thinks that microorganisms can be exclusively constrained to one person's body, or one object? Who in their freakin' right mind thinks that healthcare facilities and their employees have the power/control to prevent the transferring of every microorganism?

A major influence in the rising costs of healthcare is the increase in supplies for contact isolation, the increase in number of healthcare workers needed in order to meet the increased workload of maintaining contract isolation, and the extended hospital stay time for treating these infections. No hospital or healthcare worker wants MRSA to develop into an infection; that's why a patient does not even have to have a MRSA infection to be placed in contact isolation--all it takes is a postive MRSA identification from any source, not an infection, just a past or current history of MRSA identification on a nasal swab or a specimen of any kind and it's contact isolation with all the associated expense and additional workers needed to maintain it--and, it's mandatory.

Washing hands is the most effective way to prevent cross-contamination and really made a big difference way back when it was discovered that handwashing prevented surgical infections and post-partum infections and the associated deaths from each. Handwashing is imperative in healthcare and so are the other precautions that are in place, but only a fool believes MRSA can be stopped and prevented in toto in any healthcare setting. Does the public not realize that most patients are sick and therefore susceptible to infections from organisms on their own bodies and in their own homes and on their own loved ones? Does the public not understand that more often than not patients present with poor hygiene at the time of admission (either from illness or lifestyle), and that visitors are often dirty, smelly, and not the least concerned about bringing in illness or leaving with contaminants all over them?

You should see the number of idiots who bring newborns to visit patients! Next time you're in a hospital, look around at all of the children playing on the floor, wallowing all over the chairs and the armrests and then being marched in to see the patient! Look in the rooms of patients and see the children sitting in the patient's bed; see the visitors sitting on the beds or hanging all over the patients and tell me you don't see the potential for everyone to get really, really sick!

EC

 

[panzertanker]

You should see the number of idiots who bring newborns to visit patients! Next time you're in a hospital, look around at all of the children playing on the floor, wallowing all over the chairs and the armrests and then being marched in to see the patient! Look in the rooms of patients and see the children sitting in the patient's bed; see the visitors sitting on the beds or hanging all over the patients and tell me you don't see the potential for everyone to get really, really sick!

EC

Now ellen, you aren't suggesting that the PUBLIC should bear any responsibility, are you???
Why would you ask such a sensible thing???

The OP thinks there is a conspiracy, and that healthcare ad infinitum is hiding and blaming.
Nothing further from the truth, but people see and believe the sensational journalism. If not, why would anyone watch or buy it?

 

[Forest Hill]

Mrsa

Panzertanker: I may have not placed the proper wording within the sentence regarding transmission of Staph by hospital employees. After reading several of the posts regarding MRSA we just came away from reading the posts, with the opinion that this deadly infection is accepted as common and patients should expect and not be surprised if they come away from the hospital with this infection.
There are many types of staph, ranging from mild to severe. Mild cases can be treated within a short time frame, and other severe cases have to take treatment for weeks and sometimes years and often can be fatal.

The reference to the "scoop" issue was in regard to the hospitals not releasing their infection control policies. If the hospital contends (and they do) that they are not at fault regarding anyone contracting STAPH, there should be no problem in allowing their records to be public. I know a very close friend that actually has documents from hospital records, stating they in NO WAY are negligent for their patient contracting STAPH while in their hospital. When he fact he did not have STAPH when admitted and had STAPH when discharged.

Insofar as "who says all fault should be on the patient" My friend actually has hospital documents and legal documents representing the hospital, clearly "stating patient WAS responsible " for contracting STAPH, on the sternum after heart by pass surgery.

Regarding what I mean about hospital and their employees shifting the blame to the patient is because this is the way it is. Legal documents and there are plently of court cases on the internet regarding Med-Mal and staph infections and it is unbelievable how the "blame" is clearly shifted to the patient.

Most states have laws that prevent hospitals from releasing their infection control records. Many states are now attempting to have this law changed
(New Jersey is one) and many others.

Regarding "where do I get my information.?" My information comes from actual hospital records and legal documents from attorney's representing the hospital. It is in Black and White.

Thanks for allowing me to clear up some of the information previously posted.

Question: Has anyone on the forum (senior members) ever had a severe staph infection that required weeks and weeks of IV treament and repeated treatment for years. The after effects are as bad if not worse than chemo
treatments.

 

[panzertanker]

Panzertanker: I may have not placed the proper wording within the sentence regarding transmission of Staph by hospital employees. After reading several of the posts regarding MRSA we just came away from reading the posts, with the opinion that this deadly infection is accepted as common and patients should expect and not be surprised if they come away from the hospital with this infection.
There are many types of staph, ranging from mild to severe. Mild cases can be treated within a short time frame, and other severe cases have to take treatment for weeks and sometimes years and often can be fatal.

The reference to the "scoop" issue was in regard to the hospitals not releasing their infection control policies. If the hospital contends (and they do) that they are not at fault regarding anyone contracting STAPH, there should be no problem in allowing their records to be public. I know a very close friend that actually has documents from hospital records, stating they in NO WAY are negligent for their patient contracting STAPH while in their hospital. When he fact he did not have STAPH when admitted and had STAPH when discharged.

Insofar as "who says all fault should be on the patient" My friend actually has hospital documents and legal documents representing the hospital, clearly "stating patient WAS responsible " for contracting STAPH, on the sternum after heart by pass surgery.

Regarding what I mean about hospital and their employees shifting the blame to the patient is because this is the way it is. Legal documents and there are plently of court cases on the internet regarding Med-Mal and staph infections and it is unbelievable how the "blame" is clearly shifted to the patient.

Most states have laws that prevent hospitals from releasing their infection control records. Many states are now attempting to have this law changed
(New Jersey is one) and many others.

Regarding "where do I get my information.?" My information comes from actual hospital records and legal documents from attorney's representing the hospital. It is in Black and White.

Thanks for allowing me to clear up some of the information previously posted.

Question: Has anyone on the forum (senior members) ever had a severe staph infection that required weeks and weeks of IV treament and repeated treatment for years. The after effects are as bad if not worse than chemo
treatments.

The fallacy of your thinking is that you are making a broad based statement of condemnation regarding healthcare, based on ONE case and the documents that support THAT case.
That is not sound logic.