MRSA

Friday I had a message when I came home from the surgeon that drained Lucy's cyst. He said I was to call his answering service and tell them that they were to page him. This of course sent a little chill down my spine! Well, I did call and he called me right back. The culture on the pus from Lucy's cyst showed she had MRSA! Now being a nursing student and having had microbiology I am very familiar with MRSA. It is nasty stuff that is unfortunately being more common. It use to be considered a hospital problem but the last few years it's shown up frequently out in the community. Still, I was shocked when he said she had MRSA. He changed her antibiotic and I have been checking her wound daily. It doesn't look infected thank goodness. I can't help but wonder though, how did she pick it up? I am so careful in the hospital. I wash/gel every time I enter or leave a patients room. I glove before changing dressing. The hospital tests every patient that has a wound for MRSA. I come home and immediately change my scrubs and wash them. The doctor thinks it's more likely she just picked it up at school! They have had major outbreaks across the country the last several years in school locker rooms. Luckily Lucy is young and healthy and will recover fine. People with compromised immune systems have a more serious problem with MRSA. I think it's enough of a problem that everyone should be aware of it and take precautions. Take a microbiology class and you'll most likely become the handwashing freak that I am! You can read some info on MRSA here.