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Hello I Am A Mental Health Nurse And Worked In
Question: Hello
I am a mental health nurse and worked in a hospital
A year ago I had operation on my shoulder .
The pre assessment said I had mrsa colonised
I had to be de colonised
A few months later my friend came to my house who has a son who has a heart condition
His son will probably need a heart operation later this year
I am wracked with guilt as he might have caught mrsa from me from being in my house as he was touching things and I’m not sure if when I last cleaned my hand towel etc
I am worried that he will get mrsa infection from the operation from picking it up from me and I am wracked with guilt that he might die and it would be my fault . I feel like I could have done a lot more to prevent the risk when he came.
I’m not sure what to do now
I am a mental health nurse and worked in a hospital
A year ago I had operation on my shoulder .
The pre assessment said I had mrsa colonised
I had to be de colonised
A few months later my friend came to my house who has a son who has a heart condition
His son will probably need a heart operation later this year
I am wracked with guilt as he might have caught mrsa from me from being in my house as he was touching things and I’m not sure if when I last cleaned my hand towel etc
I am worried that he will get mrsa infection from the operation from picking it up from me and I am wracked with guilt that he might die and it would be my fault . I feel like I could have done a lot more to prevent the risk when he came.
I’m not sure what to do now
Brief Answer:
You should not feel guilty.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear, welcome to Ask a doctor's service.
I read your query and here is my advice.
I think you had the infection in the wound and possibly you took it in the hospital and the doctor may have treated you there. If you went out of the hospital decolonized there is no possibility that you might have transmitted it to him.
The only possibility of transmission is that you touched the infected wound and touched the towel without washing hands. In this case if he touched the towel and had a scratch or open wound he may have caught it.
This should have been documented only if doctor finds MRSA on his wound.
As a conclusion:
If doctor didn't find any MRSA there is no possibility that you harmed him.
Also if you got treated in hospital you were not infectious to him.
Also if you payed good hygiene of hands there is no possibility of transmitting it to him.
Even though you may have transmitted it to him you didn't do it on purpose so you don't have to feel guilty.
Hope I have answered the question.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
You should not feel guilty.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear, welcome to Ask a doctor's service.
I read your query and here is my advice.
I think you had the infection in the wound and possibly you took it in the hospital and the doctor may have treated you there. If you went out of the hospital decolonized there is no possibility that you might have transmitted it to him.
The only possibility of transmission is that you touched the infected wound and touched the towel without washing hands. In this case if he touched the towel and had a scratch or open wound he may have caught it.
This should have been documented only if doctor finds MRSA on his wound.
As a conclusion:
If doctor didn't find any MRSA there is no possibility that you harmed him.
Also if you got treated in hospital you were not infectious to him.
Also if you payed good hygiene of hands there is no possibility of transmitting it to him.
Even though you may have transmitted it to him you didn't do it on purpose so you don't have to feel guilty.
Hope I have answered the question.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Thanks for the reply.
I didn’t have an mrsa in a wound - just colonised in my nose . Does this make a difference ?
Thanks
I didn’t have an mrsa in a wound - just colonised in my nose . Does this make a difference ?
Thanks
Brief Answer:
Washing hands may have prevented him from taking it.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear and thank you for asking again.
Yet you don't have to feel guilty if the contamination happened because you didn't do it on purpose. The MRSA may stay in nose without causing symptoms so if he caught it from you no symptoms may happen (1in 3 persons carrying it don't develop symptoms). Washing hands and using sanitizer may have prevented him from taking it .
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Washing hands may have prevented him from taking it.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear and thank you for asking again.
Yet you don't have to feel guilty if the contamination happened because you didn't do it on purpose. The MRSA may stay in nose without causing symptoms so if he caught it from you no symptoms may happen (1in 3 persons carrying it don't develop symptoms). Washing hands and using sanitizer may have prevented him from taking it .
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Answered by
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