correctional facility employees. mrsa and staph what you need to know to protect yourself at work

Correctional Facility Employees

MRSA and Staph

What you need to know to

PROTECT YOURSELF AT WORKPROTECT YOURSELF AT WORK

WHAT IS MRSA?

“MRSA” stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

– Some people say “MURsah”

WHAT IS MRSA?

Methicillin (an antibiotic)Resistant (no longer works)Staphylococcus aureus (a common bacterium)

Is Staphylococcus aureus the same as “staph”?

Staphylococcus aureus is one of many species of staph.

When we talk about MRSA and staph in this presentation we will use the word “staph”.

Does staph always make people sick?

No, many people live with staph bacteria in their nose and on their skin without getting sick.

When staph makes us sick, how does it happen?

A staph infection can start when there is an opening in the skin-a paper cut, scrape, nick while shaving, even a bruise may allow staph bacteria to enter the body and start an infection.

What does a staph infection look like?

Staph can vary considerably in appearance.

It may start out looking like a pimple, boil, or rash.

The infection often contains pus. It may be swollen or red.

What does a staph infection look like?

More serious infections may cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections, or surgical wound infections

How does staph spread?

People spread staph by direct skin-to-skin contact.

How else does staph spread?

Staph also lives on surfaces and spreads when you touch contaminated objects or surfaces and then touch something else.

How do I protect myself?


Wash your hands with soap and water as often as possible to break the cycle of contamination.

How to wash your hands:

1. Wet your hands with warm water.2. Apply a generous amount of soap.3. Wash palms, backs of hands, wrists, fingers and under fingernails.

Rub hands for 20 seconds. (20 seconds is singing Happy Birthday twice or Jail House Rock once)

4. Rinse hands. (Turn faucet on using paper towel).5. Dry hands with a new paper towel.6. Use the paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the door.

What NOT to do when washing your hands

Don’t latch the door open (with dirty hands) then touch it again using your just cleaned hands

Don’t use uniforms-clean or used-to prop open doors

Don’t share your towels

What else will protect me from staph?

Wear disposable gloves when appropriate


Don’t share your personal care products


Bathe or shower every day– This will reduce the amount of

bacteria on your skin.

Keep your fingernails cut short– Less bacteria can grow under

short nails.


Wash your hands as often as

possible.

Yes, we said this already but there might be a test.

I think I have a staph infection…

Minor staph infections (boils) may clear up without medical intervention…but

See your Doctor Immediately

Swelling

Pain

Redness or red streaks radiating from the wound site

Fever

General ill feeling

If you have:

See your Doctor Immediately

If you find that staph infection is passing from one family member to another, or

If 2 or more family members get a staph infection at the same time.

What are the signs of infection?

• Pus• Tenderness• Swelling• Redness • Warmth of the

Skin

Your doctor may prescribe

Warm compressesIncision and drainage

– (I&D) the doctor may cut and drain the abscess

AntibioticsOr a combination of

the above

To Help Relieve Pain from a Boil

Apply one of these:– Warm, moist

washcloth– Hot-water bottle– Heating pad

for 15-20 minutes 3-4 times a day

I Have a Staph Infection

Whether or not you can continue to work depends on where the sore is and where you work.

Can I work?


If your doctor says you have a staph infection, REPORT to your supervisor.


Laundry

If your hand, wrist, or face is infected with staph you should NOT work in


Food service



Hospital/hospice



Barber shop


You should not do any work where the sore could get wet or dirty or where the bandage might come off.


Or work where the sore or sore drainage could touch another person or personal items until your doctor gives you a work release.

Employee is released to return to Regular Work on (date) ______________ Employee is released to Transitional (Modified) Work from (date) _______________ until (date) _______________

Work Status Form


If the sore is at a site other than the hand/wrist or face, you may continue to work if the sore is bandaged so that it does not leak.


Keep your staph infection covered with a clean, dry bandage.

Change the bandage at least twice a day or when it becomes wet from drainage.



What You Need:– Gloves-disposable– Soap & running water– Bandage/gauze– Plastic trash bag

How To Change Your Bandage

Taking Care of Wounds that are Draining or Have Not Healed

How to change your bandage:

Gather your supplies Plastic trash bag Plastic gloves Soap or alcohol-based hand sanitizer Bandage Q-tip

Wash your hands with soap and hot water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Put on clean gloves just before touching the skin around the wound.

Follow the directions from the nurse or doctor for changing the bandage.

Throw away used bandages in the trash bag.

Throw away any dirty supplies, such as Q-tips, in the trash bag.

Take off the plastic gloves and put them in the trash bag.

Close the trash bag and put the bag in the common garbage.

Wash hands again with soap and hot water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Put on clean gloves.

Apply new dressing.

While changing your bandage: Don’t touch other parts of your body.

Don’t touch your surroundings-bed, sink, faucet.

Don’t touch another person.

When to change your bandage: As often as the doctor or nurse tell you-at least twice a day.

Anytime you can see pus or drainage on the bandage.

Yes, we know you were wearing gloves, still…wash your hands before and after.


Wash your

hands before

and after changing bandages.

REMEMBER

Hand washing is the most effective way to stop the spread of infectious disease.

STAPH

Don’t take it home with you.

Cleaning Surfaces Contaminated with Staph

ClothingBathroomsWork Areas

Staph on Clothes*

Staph can live on any kind of cloth:– sheets– pillowcases– towels– wash cloths– uniforms-prisoner and guard

*S.aureus and MRSA has been found to survive on cotton fabric for 3 months

Chlorine bleach is the best way to kill germs in the laundry.

Use chlorine bleach in your wash when possible.– 6 ounces ( ¾ ) cup bleach

to a standard size washer

Laundry

Time wash cycle for at least twenty minutes.

Load clothes loosely in the washer so that they can move freely during the wash cycle.

The amount of motion and the length of washing time both help remove bacteria from clothing at any water temperature.

Laundry

Drying clothes in a hot clothes dryer kills more bacteria than line drying.

Laundry

Disinfecting Bathrooms &Work Surfaces

Cleaning should be done with a bleach solution or an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered disinfectant according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

www.epa.gov/oppad001/chemregindex.htm

Cleaning is the removal of physical debris.

Sanitizing is the killing of disease-causing organisms.

Both are important in preventing illness.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

Use an approved chemical sanitizer to kill bacteria. Household bleach with a 3% to 6% sodium hypochlorite solution is the most cost effective.

Never mix bleach with cleaners containing ammonia; they combine to form harmful vapors.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

Disinfect Your Bathroom Floor

1. Make bleach solution– using ¾ cup bleach and 1

gallon of water2. Sweep floor3. Mop floor with solution and let

stand for 5 minutes.4. Rinse and air dry.

Bleach kills staph germs

Disinfecting hard non-porous surfaces:plastic, porcelain, stainless steel, ceramic, chrome, laminate like Formica® counters, glass, sealed granite, linoleum, metal, vinyl and finished wood

1. Create bleach solution using ¾ cup bleach per gallon of water.

2. Wash, wipe or rinse items/area with water, then apply solution.

3. Let stand 5 minutes. 4. Rinse thoroughly and air dry.

Sanitizing non-porous food contact surfaces: (refrigerators, freezers, plastic cutting boards, stainless cutlery, dishes, glassware, countertops, pots and pans, stainless utensils)

1. Use 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water.

2. Wash, wipe or rinse items with detergent and water then apply sanitizing solution.

3. Let stand 2 minutes. 4. Air dry.

Protection When Inmates are Infected

Staph spreads in crowded or unhygienic situations.

It is not uncommon for offenders to come into the system already infected with staph.


Whether you have direct or indirect contact with an infected inmate, take the same precautions with them that we have given you for your own protection.


If an inmate has a draining sore, they should be issued clean clothing if pus or blood drains on their clothes.

Bed sheets should be changed every other day or more often if pus or blood drains from the sore.

If you are responsible for changing an inmates bandage…


Keep your hands clean by washing with soap and warm water or using an alcohol hand gel.

Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed.

Avoid contact with other people’s wounds or bandages.

Avoid sharing personal items such as make-up, towels or razors.

STAPH

Don’t take it Don’t take it home with you.home with you.

Transfer of an inmate with a staph infection

When transporting inmates with active infections, wear gloves and wash your hands often.

Carry hand sanitizer with you-keep it in the car and in your pocket.


Cover the transport seat with a disposable plastic sheet.

– This should be done even if the inmate’s clothes cover the sore.


Wipe down surface areas touched by inmate or transporting officer with bleach solution.


If the sore or pus touches security devices (handcuffs, leg irons, martin chains and other reusable restraints) disinfect restraints after use.

Riot and rescue gear

Wipe down riot and rescue gear with alcohol or bleach solution after each use.

MoreMore hand washing stations hand washing stations

for inmatesfor inmates ==

moremore protection for staff. protection for staff.

MoreMore hand washing stations hand washing stations

for inmatesfor inmates ==

moremore protection for staff. protection for staff.

Help

Correctional facility officers may contact their local, regional, or state health department if they need assistance in preventing, treating, or containing staph infections.

http://online.dshs.state.tx.us/regions/default.htm

Help

For more detailed information on MRSA, see "Prevention, Treatment, and

Containment of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections in

County Jails."

This manual is available on line at www.mrsaTexas.org

Help

Texas Department of State Health Services Infectious Disease Control Unit 1100 W 49th Street T-801 Austin, TX 78756 Phone 512.458.7676 www.mrsaTexas.org

Help

Sky Newsome, CHES

Infectious Disease Control Unit

Texas Department of State Health Services

Austin, Texas 78756

512.458.7676

[email protected]

correctional facility employees. mrsa and staph what you need to know to protect yourself at work

Documents

staph infection

staph spread

staph bacteria

species of staph

word staph

mursah slide

work slide

common bacterium slide