Wash Your Hands – Part 5
Health care providers know that there are some “nasty bugs” that surround patients in the ICU. One of these is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA).
This is a common bacterium found on the skin. Strains that are resistant to methicillin are becoming increasingly common. MRSA can also be present in the nose, blood, or urine. It is spread through physical contact.
MRSA is transferred to patients by the hands of health care workers who have been contaminated by contact with patients, surfaces in the workplace, or medical devices. This organism can survive for an hour or more on environmental surfaces such as floors, sinks, and blood-pressure cuffs.
To prevent the spread of MRSA hand hygiene with waterless antiseptic agents is recommended.
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