Greedy Trial Lawyer
The Clean Hands Doctrine May Save Your Life
Category: Seeing Clearly Now
Trisha Torrey, posting at EVERY PATIENT'S ADVOCATE, says health care providers in the hospital setting are lax about washing their hands. And, she tells us why we should care.
MRSA: Killing More Americans everyday
APIC (Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology) is holding its annual meeting this week, and today published the results of its latest findings on the number of people who die from MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) and other HAIs (hospital acquired infections). These are superbug staph infections, usually acquired by hospital patients, but sometimes transmitted in the community as well. Superbugs are called such because they have developed a resistance to drugs -- nothing can kill them.That means -- once a patient contracts a MRSA infection, s/he usually can't get rid of it. S/he will be infected for the rest of his/her life.
Bottom line? Between 48,000 and 119,000 patients per year may be acquiring these infections. That represents 46 per 1,000 patients. These numbers are much higher than previously believed, and higher than reported in previous studies. In particular, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) had previously reported only 3.9 deaths per thousand.
If I'm doing my own math correctly, that means that the REAL rate is 120 times WORSE than what we thought?
And the thing that ticks me off about this the most? These infections are PREVENTABLE! If the proper precautions are taken in hospitals, then there is no reason why patients should acquire staph infections in the hospital. None.
And do you know what the proper precautions consist of? In most cases... simply washing one's hands.
By my own observation, I have seen how lax health care providers are about hygiene. Other studies have been undertaken to document how little regard practitioners have for conscientiously keeping their hands sanitized and clean. I'm sure it's a pain in the catoochie to have to wash and sanitize before touching every patient... but... when it can mean the difference between life and death? Seriously.
It might not be a bad idea to bring your own sanitizing liquid into the hospital and insist that each provider use the darn stuff. Tell them Trisha feels it may save your life.
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