MRSA ‘present in most hospitals’
A second study found more than 80% of nurses are concerned about the use of antibiotics and regularly ask doctors to review their prescribing practice. There is now widespread concern that overuse of antibiotics will make MRSA even more difficult to treat.
The studies, which will be presented at the International Nursing and Midwifery Research Conference in Dublin next week raise fresh concerns about the level of hygiene in the country’s hospitals.
Teresa Sexton, an infection control nurse at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin, examined the isolation rooms of 25 patients over four weeks in a large tertiary referral hospital in Dublin.
The study revealed widespread contamination of the isolation rooms with MRSA and underlined the need for more effective cleaning of the hospital to eliminate infection.
And Eilish Creamer, an infection control nurse at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin found MRSA was present in one of 29 mattresses screened for the infection.
Ms Creamer said the survey was worrying because it was conducted in an 80-bed hospital considered at low risk for MRSA.
“The risk of contamination is likely to be greater in hospitals where MRSA is endemic,” she warned.
Cathriona Molloy of support group, Patient Focus, said it was particularly worrying that patients with MRSA were being put in contaminated rooms.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) admitted that MRSA is widespread in many Irish hospitals and pointed out that a three year action plan was launched last year to tackle the problem.
