Hi Caryl,
I agree with you completely ! It is not the responsibility of the
patient to insure their safety, it is the responsibility of
healthcare workers to follow CDC guidelines for contact precaution,
etc ( however lax they are ). A patient now must speak up and insist
a healthcare worker wash their hands and put on gloves to protect
themselves and clean equipment ( i.e. stethoscope) in their presence
and this puts the patient in a precarious position, doctors and some
healthcare workers bristle at the reminder and get defensive. I have
personally encountered this behavior. But patients must be pro-active
to protect themselves, unfortunately, because we can not trust
healthcare workers to do the right thing. Our very lives are at risk.
It is the failed ( lack there of) leadership by the CDC, APIC and
SHEA to educate, monitor and enforce contact precautions and
decontaminating the environment.

I believe, Mary, that you are an APIC ( Association of Professionals
in Infection Control) member, so your attack on patients is typical
of your organization ( you drink their Kool-aide), blame the victim
mentality when your failed organization is the main problem.
Jeanine Thomas
founder- MRSA Survivors Network
FDA Consultant on the Anti-Infective Advisory Board





--- In MRSA@yahoogroups.com, Caryl Carver <mrsasucks@...> wrote:
>
> Mary--
>
> I'm sorry but I must disagree, patients should NEVER have to take
responsibility for the actions of health care providers who deliver
their care. 
>
> Yes, I have been in a heath care facility recently, today as a
matter of fact.  I am a surgical RN.  I got my MRSA infection from
the very hospital where I worked and was a patient and where I was
also fired for reporting them to OSHA for violating my right to wear
PPE.  Unfortunately, OSHA sided with the hospital.  What a sad, sad
commentary on the state of healthless care in the United States.  To
lay the burden on patients is absolutely absurd.  It is time we all
woke up and demanded that health care providers DO THEIR DAMN
JOBS!!!!
>
> Sorry if you are offended by these comments but they are true to my
heart.
>
> Caryl J. Carver, RN, BSN
>
> --- On Wed, 10/15/08, Mary Bernard <mbernard@...> wrote:
> From: Mary Bernard <mbernard@...>
> Subject: RE: [MRSA] PatientPak
> To: MRSA@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2008, 9:56 PM
>
>
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>
>
>
> Looks like ONLY if you live in England, Africa or other
developing
>
> countries.
>
>
>
> If you have been in a hospital the last couple years or more, I
suspect you
>
> will have seen sanitizer in various places.
>
>
>
> However...I do agree that we all need to take some ownership in our
own
>
> health and always ASK HC members to wash or sanitize before they
touch you,
>
> etc.
>
>
>
> To your Health,
>
>
>
> Mary Ann, RN
>
>
>
> Health and Wellness Educator
>
>
>
> _____
>
>
>
> From: MRSA@yahoogroups. com [mailto:MRSA@yahoogroups. com] On
Behalf Of
>
> mrsasucks
>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 1:48 PM
>
> To: MRSA@yahoogroups. com
>
> Subject: [MRSA] PatientPak
>
>
>
> Have you guys seen this yet?
>
>
>
> http://drugresistan <http://drugresistan tstaph.blogspot. com/>
>
> tstaph.blogspot. com/
>
>
>
> What a bunch of BS, do they actually expect US to pay to protect
>
> ourselves when we are patients in a health care facility?!?! ?!?
What
>
> the f***!!! The health care facilities should be supplying these
packs
>
> as part of the care.
>
>
>
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