Staph Infections

The most common hospital-acquired infection is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, pronounced “mur-SAH”). Commonly known as a “staph infection,” MRSA has ballooned from 2,000 reported cases in 1993 to 880,000 in 2007, about 2.5% of all hospitalized patients.

MRSA lives on surfaces of all kinds — skin, clothing (like uniforms and hospital drapes), hospital furniture, medical instruments and equipment. It spreads when one contaminated surface contacts another.

About 85% of MRSA infections are contracted from a hospital or other health care facility. Two-thirds of these cases are discovered after the patient returns home. Patients with open wounds, invasive devices like a ventilator or catheter, and weakened immune systems are at greatest risk, especially those age 65 and older.

MRSA is dangerous because it is increasingly resistant to common antibiotics, and typically requires aggressive antibiotic treatment.

You can help prevent a MRSA infection in someone you love by following this common-sense checklist.

The best defense is proper hand-washing combined with anti-bacterial sanitizers and other products. All advocates and patients should insist on a MRSA screening test before being admitted to the hospital — and upon discharge too. (In the ideal world, it would be great if every older or high-risk adult was screened during routine annual check-ups too — right along with annual cholesterol tests and mammograms.)

• What’s the Harm in Health Care?

  One-third of all hospital patients are harmed or killed by accident every year in American hospitals -- about 13 million patients.

  
  Preventable hospital accidents claim almost 300,000 lives -- equal to 3 jets crashing every single day of the year in America, with no survivors.

  
  Most of these deaths and injury are among older patients, and most result from a strained health care system seriously short on nurses and other critical resources.
  

• Our Solution

  CampaignZERO offers simple explanations about how common hospital hazards occur and easy checklists to help families safeguard their loved ones' care in the hospital.

• Why Checklists for Families?

  Every patient needs a family member or friend with them in the hospital -- yet few of us are prepared for this important role.

  
  Our simple little checklists can be a big help.

• Search campaign ZERO

  Search for:

• Connect With Us

  Subscribe to posts: RSS Feed

  	Receive Our Monthly Tips for Safe Healthcare
  	» JOIN NOW

  

  For Email Marketing you can trust