Would you do this for a co-worker (gross)

[JessicaR]

I would be mostly concerned that this woman is exposing this infection at work. Not when its bandaged but when the dressing is being changed. That is NOT the environment to do that. The pus from infected sores may contain MRSA. I would not be happy knowing that wound was being uncovered where I work. Where the heck are they doing it anyway? The ladies room that everyone shares? I have visions of not very sterile strategies while they preform this task.

If its absolutely mandatory that she change this during her work day she shouldn't be at work.

I once had surgery and when I was wheeled into my room very late in the evening I had a roommate. I heard the wound vac and asked the nurse what was wrong with my room mate. She said she couldn't tell me. I asked the woman directly and she told me she had MRSA, yeah OK room change now please! I had an open wound and you put me in a room with MRSA!?! I was the one being unreasonable - whatever. My Doctor was ticked when she found out the next AM.

As far as helping a friend, I would have no problem doing this for them, just not at work. I don't think the woman thats pregnant is being wise. Why invite trouble.

 

[clovergirl5]

I would be mostly concerned that this woman is exposing this infection at work. Not when its bandaged but when the dressing is being changed. That is NOT the environment to do that. The pus from infected sores may contain MRSA. I would not be happy knowing that wound was being uncovered where I work. Where the heck are they doing it anyway? The ladies room that everyone shares? I have visions of not very sterile strategies while they preform this task.

If its absolutely mandatory that she change this during her work day she shouldn't be at work.

I once had surgery and when I was wheeled into my room very late in the evening I had a roommate. I heard the wound vac and asked the nurse what was wrong with my room mate. She said she couldn't tell me. I asked the woman directly and she told me she had MRSA, yeah OK room change now please! I had an open wound and you put me in a room with MRSA!?! I was the one being unreasonable - whatever. My Doctor was ticked when she found out the next AM.As far as helping a friend, I would have no problem doing this for them, just not at work. I don't think the woman thats pregnant is being wise. Why invite trouble.

What a crock...unbelievable! Where are peoples brains!?

 

[DebbieB]

I would be mostly concerned that this woman is exposing this infection at work. Not when its bandaged but when the dressing is being changed. That is NOT the environment to do that. The pus from infected sores may contain MRSA. I would not be happy knowing that wound was being uncovered where I work. Where the heck are they doing it anyway? The ladies room that everyone shares? I have visions of not very sterile strategies while they preform this task.

If its absolutely mandatory that she change this during her work day she shouldn't be at work.

That is what my question was going to be - where in the office are they performing this "procedure"? Is the employer aware of it? I work for a insurance company and am concerned about a possible Workers Comp claim situation if this is spread in the office. Considering the location of the wound, I'd be concerned about her using the restroom.

 

[ReneeA]

I'm a nurse on a floor where there are tons of infections - MRSA, VRSA, Psuedo, Staph, etc, etc, etc. The RN's that are pregnant all continue to work with these patients from the time they are barely pregnant right up until the day they give birth. All kinds of care - including multiple bandages changes everyday. As long as proper precautions are used (gloving up and washing thoroughly), it's safe.

 

[PatsGirl]

No way. If someone is dropping their pants in front of me, there better be dinner and drinks involved.

And good-looking wouldn't hurt

 

[a1tinkfans]

Just my thoughts.......
Kuddo's to ALL nurses! THEY are the major caregivers despite the fact he/she wears "Dr"

I am SHOCKED that the woman is doing this at work and possibly exposing others to her issues....ie, things fall, smear, drop, etc....
As far as co-worker being asked and doing it....we'll thats between them, no judgment here, but IF I were pregnant and asked I likely would have declined.

So, I hope this woman has a speedy recovery.....its an awful situation, one Id know about.....

 

[minkydog]

Well I would do it no problem, but I'm a nurse.

Me too. I would do this to help a co-worker, especially in that location. Can you imagine how hard it would be to treat that by yourself? As a school nurse, you'd be surprised at the things I have done, including treating massively infected feet and legs, foot ulcers that went to the muscle, and skin cancers. Didn't bother me in the least--that's what gloves are for. My co-workers were embarrassed to ask me to do it, but I was glad to help them. Most of them were completely grossed out with their conditions and it was a relief to them to have someone do it without gagging.

 

[OK!]

Sweet fancy Moses, no. Absolutely not. "Holes" in general gross me out and I'd have a hard time dealing with packing and whatnot in one on me, let alone someone else.

 

[kilee]

My husband had a MRSA infection of his urinary tract once. Put him in the ICU for a week. He then had to be on IV antibotics for 8 weeks w/ a central line. My sister was 8 months pregnant during this and she helped administer his antibiotics and clean his IV ports (he had 3 of them). Granted she's a RN, but she did it.

 

[freepixie]

Yes I would do it if it were a friend in the workplace, not just a random acquaintance. I've actually had to do some things over the years in the workplace that most people would not do, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Working with young children, you become desensatized (sp?) to "gross" things

And, yes I would use gloves!

However in times of emergency, if gloves aren't available, I still dig in to help as much as I can - I have taken care of more than one bloody nose without gloves just cause they weren't available. And I washed my hands thoroughly afterward, but like I said, you gotta do what you gotta do!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I would like to think I would, but I honestly don't know. I used to be able to handle things like this no problem, but for whatever reason, my stomach does not handle things like this as well as it used to. I would assume that she has been made very aware by her doctor of the precautions she needs to take so as not to spread it around the office. Honestly, I think the fact that the girl is talking about this- and apparently in graphic detail- to somebody else bothers me more. I hope this person does not know the poor woman who is in this situation. That would be very embarassing.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I wonder if it looks anything like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-AlZsQu7Yc


ETA: Warning, not for the squeamish!

 

[JessicaR]

I wonder if it looks anything like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-AlZsQu7Yc

Poor Brian. A Little antiseptic would have been nice. The girl that was gaging could have walked out. She was quite the spectator/commentator.

Tinijocaro - you know this is gonna freak people out. I thought it was pretty interesting. I think I'll share it.

 

[kangareaux]

I wonder if it looks anything like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-AlZsQu7Yc


ETA: Warning, not for the squeamish!

I've seen this before.....NASTY.....but yet I had to watch the whole thing!

 

[dansamy]

Community acquired MRSA is now the most common staph abscess that we see on our pediatric unit. I'll guarantee you that if we took a random sample of any 10 people in our area, 8 of them would be colonized with MRSA. (Colonized does not equal an active infection. It does mean that the bacteria is living on your skin, in your nares, etc.)

 

[Tinijocaro]

I've seen this before.....NASTY.....but yet I had to watch the whole thing!

That's the thing-you must watch it!

 

[dansamy]

Poor Brian. A Little antiseptic would have been nice. The girl that was gaging could have walked out. She was quite the spectator/commentator.

Tinijocaro - you know this is gonna freak people out. I thought it was pretty interesting. I think I'll share it.

Person doing the popping needed gloves. See that bandage on their hand? There's some skin break under there. Bet they'll be the next one with a good ole staph abscess.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'd do it for her, but not in an office. Count me in with the folks that think she's putting others in the office at risk for infection here.

There weren't many patients I didn't care for when I was pregnant. Very few are exempt now (herpes is one that comes to mind that is) - most are covered using Universal Precautions.

When we change MRSA dressings in a hospital, we use gowns, gloves and other protective wear, then we dispose of the infected waste in the proper receptacles (ie biohazard trash) and cleanse ourselves properly afterward. Gowns are so we don't get our clothes contaminated, etc. I can't imagine any of this is taking place in the office, and most likely the spaces they're using for the procedure are public spaces.

Hospital aquired MRSA wounds are usually pretty serious. IMO only trained personnel should be touching them, not random coworkers. (Family are often trained in the hospital; if no family, then a visiting nurse would probably be warranted for dressing changes, but generally once, maybe twice a day would suffice.)

In hospitals, MRSA and other *active* transmissible illnesses are kept isolated, ie they'd generally have a private room, and staff will have them on Contact Precautions (gowns, gloves, etc). There are Infection Control guidelines in place that can't be altered. Once a person is known to have MRSA, they're still isolated unless new cultures show they no longer have it. This comes up automatically in their medical records.