Upson Takes Steps to Stop Super-Bug
Hospitals nationwide are trying to protect their patients from a drug-resistant bug that is growing more common and dangerous. MRSA stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Some news reports are calling it a “superbug.” Most doctors call it “staph.”
While MRSA is not a major issue at our local hospital, doctors and nurses are taking some further steps to ensure patient safety and low rates of infection.
Dr. Keith Huckaby says, “We have been fortunate to have a low infection rate and low rates of MRSA. At Upson, simple precautions help keep patients, visitors and caregivers safe from the staph that makes you sick.”
Staph infections have been around for many years. Impetigo, for example, is one kind that could be a staph infection. What is new is that the usual antibiotics do not always kill the germs that cause the infection. People go to the doctor and want an antibiotic to get well.
Dr. Johanthan Busbee says that many times, the cause of our illness is from a virus and antibiotics do not get rid of viruses. “Because we have over-used antibiotics, they have stopped working as well as they once did,” he said.
Staph germs usually live on your skin or in your nose. Most of the time, they do not cause any harm. If you have a cut, they can enter your bloodstream and cause trouble.
“When this happens, we used to have antibiotics like Methicillin to kill the germs, Busbee said. “Now, they do not always work, and if unchecked, the staph infection might become life-threatening.”
MRSA, or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, has long been known as an infection associated with hospitals, where patients are already sick and vulnerable. Today, national trends show the incidence of antibiotic-resistant staph infections associated with being acquired in the community and not in health care institutions increased, which means more potential for infections
Doctors and nurses at Upson Regional have been taking a close look at ways to reduce the spread of MRSA, and best practices other hospitals are using to keep the super-bug away.
Starting December 2008, Upson Regional will implement further steps to reduce MRSA in hospitals. Upson Regional patients with risk factors such as open wounds or who are from nursing homes, will be tested for MRSA upon admission. A simple, nose-swab test will identify patients with MRSA
People can carry MRSA bacteria, usually in their noses or on their skin, without being sick. But, they can pass the bug to uninfected patients and health workers. Because MRSA can be contagious, patients who are found to carry MRSA, will be isolated and will be treated as directed by their physician, says Infection Control Coordinator Glenda VanHouten.
“They will be placed in contact precautions, and all healthcare workers who enter the room will wear gowns and gloves,” VanHouten said. “This practice reduces the risk of carrying the bacteria from patient room to patient room.”
MRSA gets its name from the antibiotic it repels - methicillin, penicillin's stronger cousin. For years, its resistance was limited to hospitals where bacteria are often overexposed to antibiotics, a practice that lets hardy strains thrive.
Participation in a national survey reveals Upson Regional’s rate of infection is significantly lower at 17 infections per 1,000 patient days than the national average, which is 48 infections per 1,000.
“We are proud of our extremely low infection rate, and by implementing the MRSA precautions, we aim to continuously improve it,” VanHouten said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stresses all MRSA infections can be treated by drainage and antibiotics. Sometimes the infection can lead to pneumonia, bloodstream or bone infections that can prove deadly. Invasive infections in healthy people are rare.
“Patient safety is paramount at Upson Regional,” VanHouten said. “And, that’s why we’re adding these simple steps to limit MRSA in our facility by identifying and treating patients who have it.”
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