METHICILIN RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS (MRSA) OUTBREAK
Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that lives on the skin, nose or mouth of people. When the bacterium becomes resistant to antibiotics, it is called Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). Most of the time, MRSA does not cause any potential life threatening problems. However, it needs to be addressed especially in patients who are admitted in the ICU. Unfortunately, I experienced this so-called MRSA outbreak back in the hospital where I was affiliated before. We had six patients in the Medical Surgical bay who got infected by the said plague. I felt extremely devastated by this event because the patients, being the primary focus of care are affected by this. They will need to undergo a course of antibiotic therapy atop of their usual regimen for them to get better. Furthermore, this can also cause physical, emotional and financial burden for the families of the patients as well. For that, I was able to post myself a question as to how we can collectively as a unit distinguish ways to improve patient’s safety and well-being during this crisis.
For my evaluation, I think that the only good thing about this incident is that, it gave me an opportunity to review our policies about infection control. On the contrary, the negative things associated with the incident pile up. These include high risk of acquiring the infection for health professionals, safety and trust issues among future clients and most importantly, prolonged patient stay in the hospital with significantly higher costs (Gyllesten, Anderson, & Muller, 2017 ). It could have been prevented if the management promulgated early on a 1:1 nurse-patient ratio. Sadly, we, the nurses and some members of the healthcare team can also be considered culprits for we are directly part of the caring process of those affected.
In retrospect, there were plenty of things that could have been done differently. A synergistic approach for the patient that revolves among the management, healthcare workers and respective family members could have been affirmed from the first day of hospitalisation. This incident opened my senses that all of us play a pivotal role for the patient. In addition, all our interventions are tantamount in contributing to the patient’s safety and well being. For my action plan, I would like to focus more on the importance of good hand hygiene programs, just as what Tacconelli (2015) reported on his study, the effectiveness of Chlorhexidine sponging and watchful epidemiological tracing of the hospital infection team.
References
Gyllensten, K., Andersson, G., & Muller, H. (2017). Experiences of reduced work hours for nurses and assistant nurses at a surgical department: a qualitative study. BMC nursing, 16(1), 16.
Tacconelli, E. (2016). Screening and isolation for infection control. Journal of Hospital Infection, 73(4), 371-377.
Gyllensten, K., Andersson, G., & Muller, H. (2017). Experiences of reduced work hours for nurses and assistant nurses at a surgical department: a qualitative study. BMC nursing, 16(1), 16.
Tacconelli, E. (2016). Screening and isolation for infection control. Journal of Hospital Infection, 73(4), 371-377.