[susant58]

HI there I am just brand new here and I am glad to find this site . I do have a question that I would REALLy like help with. LAst December I had surgery an Abdominoplasty in a hospital in Saskatchewqan I am an RN in a smaller city ....anyway I ended up hemorrhaging and having a huge intra-abdominal hematoma. I was sent home where I continued to ooze actually rather gush sero-sang drainage. I was starting to feel unwell with slight fever and went to see the MD. He ordered a swab which came back MRSA positive. I was admitted on isolation on IV meds and in for about 10days and then discharge. MY wound was and still is MRSA pos. I spent the next 9 months trying to get my fistual to close which went from mh hip to my belly button . It has now nearly closed although I do still have a small opening which is hardly draining anything at all . My doc says that I am and will alwaus be MRSA pos and he said that I could probably go back to work. The I.D. Doc sent a letter saying I must use gloves with all patients wash hands +++++ where a mask if I have cold or allergy symptoms, both myself and the patient to wear a mask if they have LRI . If I get sick I need to be investigated fully and off sick until the results are in . I have not had nasal axillary nor throat swabs done he says that would be redundant as they were neg. however I have NEVER had swabs taken.my concern and my managers concern is what type of nursing care can I and should I do, also if there should be an outbreak of MRSA in our hospital (which has not happened yet)that I will be the prime suspect, also the fact that I am masking etc when I admit patients and noone else does ( I do all admissions and initital assessments)any of you have nurses in your hospitals with MRSA and how is it handled . I on;y started back to work yesterday ,no other healthcare worker in our health district has aquired MRSA .... I am the 1st So of course none seems to know what to do.I feel like I should go around ringing a bell saying " unclean, Unclean " So any advice would be SOOOOOOOOOO much appreciated.
Susan