There are people who are at higher risks of developing complications to these infections. Patients with weakened immune systems who are unable to fight off the infection include those with cancer and receiving chemotherapy; those with autoimmune illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis, transplant recipients, intravenous drug users and patients with kidney diseases requiring dialysis. A person that has a central venous catheter or an invasive needle for intravenous medications is at risk of the bacteria entering the bloodstream via the needle insertion site. A patient receiving hemodialysis has a chance of contracting MRSA 100 times greater than a person without a central line. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011) Contaminants can be transferred to the site where the medication is entered into the catheter; at the insertion site of the central line on the person’s body; or from contaminated gloves/hands of the healthcare provider or the patient’s visitors. MRSA entering the bloodstream may cause a severe and potentially fatal blood infection called sepsis. If the MRSA infection establishes itself within surgical sites such as areas of implanted devices or within infections of the heart or bone, it may never be cured.
This month’s civil topic is “MRSA: Hospital or Health-Care Acquired Infection” Areas of discussion:
- MRSA transmission (10/6/14)
- Who’s At Risk? (10/13/14)
- Prevention and Treatment (10/20/14)
- Legal Implications (10/27/14)
Note: To see all posts in this topic, click here
#MRSA, #Hosptialacquiredinfection
