Download NOSOCOMIAL ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT ORGANISMS

NOSOCOMIAL
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT
ORGANISMS
MRSA: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus
VRE: Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus
MRSA
Resistant to most antibiotics
 Found in health care facilities
– hospitals
– long term care facilities
other care facilities
Not a threat to healthy people

Why should YOU be concerned
about MRSA?
Difficult
Easily
Hard
to contain
spread
to treat
Risk factors for MRSA
infection
Surgery
 Devices used in invasive procedures
 ICU or burn ward
 Age
 Treatment with multiple antibiotics
 Severe illness or disability
 Prolonged or repeated hospital stays
 Compromised immune system

How is MRSA spread?

Direct contact between health-care
workers and clients.
– Colonized vs. infected persons
Health-care workers are the MAIN
carriers.
 NOT usually spread through the air

How do I detect an infection of
MRSA?

Symptoms:
– drainage from a wound
– Fever and chills
– increased white blood cell count
Common sites of infection
 Respiratory
tract
 Surgical wounds
 Perineum or rectum
 Skin
How to stop the spread of MRSA
 Proper
hand-washing:
– Before caring for each client
– After removing gloves
– Before leaving the client’s room
VRE
 Hard
to treat
 Some
forms of VRE pass on their
drug-resistant genes!
Risk factors for VRE infection
Severe illness
 Treatment with multiple antibiotics
 Abdominal or cardiac surgery
 Devices used in invasive procedures
 Age
 ICU
 Prolonged or repeated hospital stays

How does a VRE infection
develop?

Opportunistic

Bacteria transmitted between clients
and healthcare workers
– colonized vs. infected persons
Signs of VRE infection
Drainage from a wound
 Fever and chills
 Increased white blood cell count

Handwashing prevents spread of
VRE

Wash hands before patient care

Wash hands after removing gloves

Wash hands BEFORE leaving the
patient’s room.
MRSA AND VRE
 All
healthcare workers play a role in
preventing the spread of these
nosocomial infections.
 REMEMBER-WASH
YOUR HANDS