MRSA swab?

[sweetvamp]

I have an operation coming up next week, a laparascopy (my second). Last time I had surgery, I had the following done at my pre-op assessment: bloods taken, blood pressure check, EKG, and MRSA swab. This was at an NHS hospital.

This time, I am at a private hospital. At my pre-op two weeks ago, I had the following done: bloods taken, blood pressure check. No EKG (I've had numerous over the years so this didn't bother me too much). They didn't swab me for MRSA and I didn't realize until just now (lot of stuff on my mind).

I thought it was standard practice to swab for MRSA at the pre-op? I suppose they could do it on admission next week but wouldn't it be too late to get results? My surgery is just a day case. Has anyone had surgery recently and not had an MRSA swab?

Thanks.

A quick Google, didn't get me any results on this being normal behaviour.

When I specified laparoscopy, the results didn't change, and all said about having MRSA screening performed.

It MAY be that if the last operation was less than 12 months ago, they MAY feel you wouldn't be a risk???

I was talking to someone last night who said it's now practice to give antibiotics while in surgery to treat MRSA. Not sure if that's accurate or not but I'm sure someone will be along to confirm soon

On NHS it says 'you may be screened if you are staying overnight,' but other NHS resources seem to have the swabs as routine, so who even knows!

My last op was three years ago. Maybe it's routine in NHS hospitals and not at private (this is a BMI hospital)

I might give them a ring tomorrow and check whether they were supposed to do it.

Just found it:

MRSA Screening
BMI Healthcare is committed to the provision of high quality care to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients. This includes robust infection prevention and control activities to minimise the risk of any of our patients acquiring any healthcare associated infection.

BMI Healthcare's routine practice in relation to MRSA screening is to take a targeted and focused approach and screen selectively in light of the clinical needs of each patient. The availability of dedicated nursing teams, compliance with appropriate precautions, and single room accommodation, which can be used for isolation rooms if required, enable us to adopt this approach.

So probably ok then?

I had an operation 2 years ago and as far as I know was not swabbed (unless they did it after I was out!). This was in an NHS hospital.

BMI Healthcare is committed to the provision of high quality care to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients. This includes robust infection prevention and control activities to minimise the risk of any of our patients acquiring any healthcare associated infection.
BMI Healthcare's routine practice in relation to MRSA screening is to take a targeted and focused approach and screen selectively in light of the clinical needs of each patient. The availability of dedicated nursing teams, compliance with appropriate precautions, and single room accommodation, which can be used for isolation rooms if required, enable us to adopt this approach.
That sounds like a loud of old twaddle to me! To paraphrase it, they are saying we will screen if we think it's necessary.

Sorry, bold fail!

Just call them op. I had an operation at a BMI hospital two months ago and was swabbed at pre op but did stay in two nights

I just called them and they said I can call pre-assessment in the morning so they can look at my notes. I will update after that!

Depends what there policy is? How long since you have been in another hospital?

Sorry just seen 3 years ago. No need to swab you for MRSA. All hospitals have guidelines regarding this so I wouldn't worry. It's more to protect them than you tbh.

Thanks! I'm going to call to double check what they have on my notes but I feel more reassured about it now.

Have you visited a hospital in the last 3 months for anything even visiting? If no then don't even ring them. I'm assuming they asked you this question at pre-op?

They asked me if I had been admitted to hospital, not if I had visited any. I've only been to the hospital in the past three months for appointments with my consultant.

I work in NHS theatres. We don’t routinely screen for mrsa in Preop anymore. If someone has a past positive screen or is already an inpatient they will have one but we won’t screen day cases definitely and not a lot of emphasis is put on those that will be staying in unless it’s orthopaedic or a patient that will require critical care postoperatively.

The rationale being that a lot of people will actually be colonised in their nose and groin anyway and so there was a lot of unnecessary over treatment. If someone is known to be colonised in another site (ie a wound) we then treat it completely differently in regards to infection control ie last on the list to minimise exposure.

Antibiotics are used in theatre and most but not all patients will get a dose. Not because of mrsa specifically btu just because an unnatural opening is being made into the body where bacteria can colonise. A laparoscopy will usually have 2/3 antibiotics given in a single dose.

Thank you for the information! That makes a lot of sense.