Mary—

 

Thank you so much for the offer.  I am presently working at a small surgery
center and am very happy.  I have paid
careful attention; all the employees there are diligent about washing their
hands and wearing gloves appropriately.

 

I would also like to apologize up front to the group.  I know I come across as
angry, that’s because
I am angry, as you all should be if you have been directly or indirectly
affected my MRSA.  I have literally lost
friends and family members who are afraid to be near me.  MRSA is leprosy for
the new millennium.  A beautiful baby girl born in June that I have
only laid eyes on once and will never see again because her parents fear me..

 

Mary, I find it hard to believe that you have never seen a
hospital acquired MRSA infection.  At Kettering
Hospital in Kettering,
Ohio (suburb of Dayton)
we had an MRSA patient at least 4 days out of 7.  I can’t give you hard
statistics because
there are none.  In Ohio,
MRSA is not a reportable disease.  What a
crock.  The health care professionals (surgeons,
PA’s, anesthesia care providers and RNs were among the biggest offenders)
routinely did not wash their hands, don gloves or gown appropriately when
providing direct patient care.  I know
this because I witnessed it over and over and over and over again.  I used to
reprimand them, yes, even the
surgeons; but all I got was attitude and no change in behavior other than
resentment toward me, so I stopped.  The
leadership of the organization was no help whatsoever and ignored my multiple
pleas to get an infectious disease consultant in to clean things up. Ultimately
I was fired for reporting them to OSHA, of course they do not state that was
why I was fired, but my sterling record for 6.5 years states otherwise.

 

A family member was hospitalized at Grandview
Hospital in Dayton,
Ohio which is an affiliate of Kettering
Hospital.  He was in a diabetic coma.  He had c-diff in his stool and MRSA in
his
sputum and urine.  He had a trach and
foley catheter.  When my daughter and I
went to visit I noticed the isolation sign and asked the staff about it.  We
were told, “It’s ok, just go on in.  Just don’t touch anything”.  This is
totally incorrect care of the patient
and the guests.  We witnessed nurses (not
nursing assistants, nurses, you know, us guys with the education) deliver care
without handwashing prior or after, no gloves no gowns, no shoe covers, no
nothing.  They did trach care, they
positioned him (only after family members requested he be positioned) and went
on to the next patient on the ICU.  How
truly disgusting!!  He died peacefully
and well cared for at Hospice of Dayton.

 

Another family member was hospitalized at Sycamore
Hospital in Miamisburg,
Ohio, a sister hospital to Kettering.  He did get more actively involved in his
care
after his 104 temperature came down and he was coherent enough to do so.  The
nurses gave him attitude when he
requested that they put gloves on before they touched him.  His letter to the
administration of Sycamore
concerning the infection control practices, or lack thereof, of their staff
still goes unanswered.

 

My own PCP did not recognize my last MRSA infection for what
it was even though I told him it was an MRSA infection.  He touched the spot on
my leg with his
unwashed, ungloved hand and proceeded to his next patient. 

 

I see health care providers in their uniforms in the
grocery, at the mall, eating at restaurants including self serve style
restaurants.  Anyone delivering direct
patient care should not be in public places. 
This is common decency.  The CDC
states that they do not know how MRSA got into the community.  I am not an
epidemiologist (but I play one on
TV) but I can tell you point blank how MRSA got into the community.  MRSA got
into the community through nasty
assed health care providers!!!! 

 

Perhaps I have a microscopic view of the health care
community, I am in small little Dayton, Ohio.
However, my other job, which became necessary after blowing through my savings
during my unemployment and the increased costs d/t the need to buy specialty
products (Hibiclens, peroxide, etc), is a telephonic “ask a nurse” nurse.  I
talk to people across this great land of
ours and hear eerily familiar stories. Doctors who do not recognize MRSA,
infectious disease docs who were not even aware that there was such a thing as
respiratory MRSA, doctors who prescribe the wrong antibiotic for MRSA, I can go
on and will as the stories roll in.

 

Do I lump all health care providers into one basket?  Well, if the shoe fits…
then you must be
guilty.  I am a health care
provider.  I take excellent care of my
patients and expect nothing less from my peers.



--- On Thu, 10/16/08, Mary Bernard <mbernard@...> wrote:
From: Mary Bernard <mbernard@...>
Subject: RE: [MRSA] PatientPak
To: MRSA@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, October 16, 2008, 7:18 PM











I believe what I said was..."However. ..I do agree that we all need
to take

some ownership for our

own health and always ASK HC members to wash or sanitize before they touch

you"



I did not say take responsibility for the actions of others.



We can not change anyone person.therefore can not take responsibility for

ones actions..but we can speak up and protect ourselves. When you were a

patient and if they offered you a particular medication.would you not ask

what it was if you did not know? If so..is that not taking responsibility

for your self?



Re: the OSHA situation... it is indeed a sad state of affairs when they

mandate you are provided PPE and then say but this time it is OK... Are you

in a larger city or a smaller community? Some facilities have "deals" with

certain inspectors that they have had a relationship with for years...If you

want to work in an area where the Hospitals follow OSHA mandates and provide

PPE and EXPECT staff to use it.I will share some possible solutions to that

problem for you!



See prior message because .. As in addition to other things it says.



"Meanwhile, I shall continue to educate healthcare workers on

best practices and will also continue to empower patients and their families

to "just ask" if they do not witness good hand hygiene and to practice

wellness".



Thanks for the note.

Mary Ann, RN

Health and Wellness Coach

www.Wesharejuiceplu s.com



_____



From: MRSA@yahoogroups. com [mailto:MRSA@yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Caryl

Carver

Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 8:45 PM

To: MRSA@yahoogroups. com

Subject: RE: [MRSA] PatientPak



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@harneydh.

<mailto:mbernard% 40harneydh. com> com> wrote:

From: Mary Bernard <mbernard@harneydh. <mailto:mbernard% 40harneydh. com> com>

Subject: RE: [MRSA] PatientPak

To: MRSA@yahoogroups. <mailto:MRSA% 40yahoogroups. com> com

Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2008, 9:56 PM



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.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


























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