These are some frequently asked questions to get you started. With purchase of the Armor Healthcare Education programs we have a detailed section on questions and answers by healthcare professionals.
What is MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus)?
What is Community-Acquired MRSA (CAMRSA)?
How is MRSA transmitted?
How do I protect myself from getting MRSA?
Should schools close because of an MRSA infection?
Should the entire school community be notified of every MRSA infection?
Should students with MRSA skin infections be excluded from attending school?
I have an MRSA skin infection. How do I prevent spreading it to others?
Once MRSA enters the blood stream it immediately starts to attack vital organs often leading to death.
What is the solution?
Why should I have an infection control program in my school?
Who should I contact if I am interested in an infection control program for my school?
What is MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus)?
Some Staph bacteria have mutated and cannot be killed with commonly used antibiotics. MRSA is a type of staph that is resistant to antibiotics including Methicillin and other more commonly prescribed antibiotics such as penicillin and amoxicillin. Millions of people are colonized with MRSA in the U.S. alone and infections are appearing at epidemic rates.
What is Community-Acquired MRSA (CAMRSA)?
Staph and MRSA can cause illness in persons outside of hospitals and healthcare facilities. MRSA infections acquired by persons who have not been recently hospitalized, or had a medical procedure, are known as CAMRSA infections. Staph or MRSA infections in the community are usually manifested as skin infections such as pimples and boils, and occur in otherwise healthy people.
How is MRSA transmitted?
MRSA is usually transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact or contact with shared items or surfaces that have come into contact with someone else's infection (e.g., towels, used bandages).
How do I protect myself from getting MRSA?
You can protect yourself by:
- practicing good hygiene (e.g., keeping your hands clean by washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and showering immediately after participating in exercise);
- covering skin trauma such as abrasions or cuts with a clean dry bandage until healed;
- avoiding sharing personal items (e.g., towels, razors) that come into contact with your bare skin; and using a barrier (e.g., clothing or a towel) between your skin and shared equipment such as weight-training benches;
- Maintaining a clean environment by establishing cleaning procedures for frequently touched surfaces and surfaces that come into direct contact with people's skin.
Should schools close because of an MRSA infection?
The decision to close a school for any communicable disease should be made by school officials in consultation with local and/or state public health officials. However, in most cases, it is not necessary to close schools because of an MRSA infection in a student. It is important to note that MRSA transmission can be prevented by simple measures such as hand hygiene and covering infections.
Should the entire school community be notified of every MRSA infection?
Usually, it should not be necessary to inform the entire school community about a single MRSA infection. When an MRSA infection occurs within the school population, the school nurse and school physician should determine, based on their medical judgment, whether some or all students, parents and staff should be notified. Consultation with the local public health authorities should be used to guide this decision.
Remember that staphylococcus (staph) bacteria, including MRSA, have been and remain a common cause of skin infections.
Should students with MRSA skin infections be excluded from attending school?
Unless directed by a physician, students with MRSA infections should not be excluded from attending school. Exclusion from school and sports activities should be reserved for those with wound drainage ("pus") that cannot be covered an contained with a clean, dry bandage and for those who cannot maintain good personal hygiene.
I have an MRSA skin infection. How do I prevent spreading it to others?
Cover your wound. Keep wounds that are draining or have pus covered with clean, dry bandages until healed. Follow your healthcare provider's instructions on proper care of the wound. Pus from infected wounds can contain staph, including MRSA, so keeping the infection covered will help prevent the spread to others. Bandages and tape can be discarded with the regular trash.
Clean your hands frequently. You, your family, and others in close contact should wash their hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after changing the bandage or touching the infected wound.
Do not share personal items. Avoid sharing personal items, such as towels, washcloths, razors, clothing, or uniforms that may have had contact with the infected wound or bandage. Wash sheets, towels, and clothes that become soiled with water and laundry detergent. Use a dryer to dry clothes completely.
Once MRSA enters the blood stream it immediately starts to attack vital organs often leading to death.
As much as we hate to admit it we live in a litigious society. One fatality resulting from an infection at a school could have a catastrophic loss of funds for a school district. Not to mention the negative press in the community and potentially nationally.
Source: The CDC and National Center for Health Statistics
What is the solution?
The solution is to implement a comprehensive infection control program. This protects your learning environment including staff, students and visitors. There is no way to sterilize the learning environment, however, there is a lot that can be done to minimize the amount and spread of germs.
Why should I have an infection control program in my school?
There is close to 150 million lost school days each year. Absenteeism can cause lost learning opportunities that impact student achievement.
Who should I contact if I am interested in an infection control program for my school?
Armor Healthcare is the industry leader for germ control in the educational setting. Armor is the only company providing a full spectrum turn-key comprehensive infection control program. The three pillars of our program are:
- Educational Materials – for educators, school nurses, students, athletic departments and custodians
- Products – The right products that are proven to be effective against MRSA and other germs, approved by the EPA(Environmental Protection Agency) and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for the classrooms, locker rooms, sports equipment, and custodial supplies.
- The proprietary Classroom Caddy™ – A point of use “infection control system” only available through Armor Healthcare is designed to be used by students in the classroom and other school settings. The Classroom Caddy works hand-in-hand with the education of proper hygiene.
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 888-339-2766 OR EMAIL US AT INFO@ARMORHEALTHCARE.COM
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