Page 15 - BARMC Guide 2017 MOBILE

Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDRO)
In the hospital, you may
be tested for multi-drug- resistant organisms (MDRO) that are frequently carried on the skin, in the nose or other moist areas of the body. MDRO are common bacteria (germs) that have become resistant (not killed by) to multiple types of antibiotics. For most healthy people, these bacteria don’t cause
a problem.
Sometimes, antibiotic resistance can happen as a result of frequent antibiotic use or frequent exposure to a healthcare setting. MDRO can enter the body and cause infection when:
• e person has a suppressed immune system.
• ere is an open wound in the skin.
• ere is an IV, catheter or other
invasive device in place.
The Most Common MDRO Are:
• Methicillin Resistant Staphlycoccus Aureus (MRSA) bacterium is carried on the skin or in the noses of healthy people and is a common cause of minor skin infections. It can also cause surgical wound infections, bloodstream infections and pneumonia.
• Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) is normally present in the intestines and in the female
genital tract. Vancomycin
is an antibiotic that is o en
used to treat infections
caused by enterococci.
When enterococci become
resistant to vancomycin (not killed
by it) it is called VRE. VRE can cause infections of wounds, the urinary tract or the bloodstream.
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Prevent Falls
Falls may occur when a patient tries to get out of bed to go to the bathroom or walk around the room. Often they are weak or unsteady due to illness, inactivity, or the side-e ects of medicines.
• Use your call button for help
if you are getting out of bed.
• Ask for help getting to the bathroom or walking around the room or in the hallways.
• Always use handrails in the bathroom and hallways.
• Wear non-slip footwear.
• Keep the call button and items you need within your reach.
• Lower the height of the bed and the side rails to reach what you need.
• Talk to your doctor if your medicine makes you sleepy, light-headed, sluggish or confused.
• Ask how to reduce these side e ects or if you can take another medicine.
• Do not let your robe or pajamas drag the oor
Courtesy, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
and cause you to trip.
Are You At Risk For A Blood Clot?
Deep-vein thrombosis or DVT, is a
blood clot that forms in a vein, often in the lower leg or thigh. When the blood clot breaks away and travels through
the blood stream to an artery, blocking blood ow, it can cause death or damage to the brain, heart or lungs.
Risks of blood clots is greater if you
are inactive for long periods, such as during a hospital stay. To lower your risk of DVT, follow these tips:
• Talk to your doctor about your risk of DVT and using compression stockings or blood-thinners while you are in the hospital.
• Notice the following symptoms during your stay: swelling, pain, tenderness or discoloration in one or both legs, arm or neck; sudden coughing that may bring up blood; sharp chest pain; rapid breathing or shortness of breath; severe light-headedness.
Courtesy, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
PATIENT SAFETY-MDROS, PREVENT FALLS, DVT
Prevention:
If you are the caretaker for an infected person, prevent the spread of MDRO by following these steps at home:
• After contact with the infected person and before leaving home, wash your hands
with plenty of lather for 15
to 20 seconds and dry hands completely.
Use hand towels only once.
• Wear disposable gloves when coming into contact with the patient’s bodily uids.
• Change and wash linens (towels, wash cloths, bed sheets) regularly.
• Tell all healthcare providers about the patient’s MDRO.