mrsa

[nellie12]

So if your 14mo baby had gone into hospital (childrens') for planned surgery and then had to be readmitted because they were found to have mrsa in the wound would you be putting in a complaint?

Curious because this has happened to us but its possible we may have to go back to ward for further surgery at some point (I really hope not), on the other hand I am not happy

i think i would ask some questions. Did the wound seem clean when you left hospital or did the infection start whilst LO was in hospital.

no wound was clean as we left the hospital but then started to break down about 2 days later, but then he had only been at home he hadn't even left the house.

Was he swabbed before he went in?

Our children's (cardiac) swab pre-admission.

oh yes he was swabbed and presumably clear as we weren't isolated and as it was spinal surgery I doubt they would have operated if he was positive.

If he was clear before than I wouldn't be happy either.

i would check on the swab results prior to surgery.

Have you had an elderley person holding him since the op?

unfortunately most of us carry MRSA up our noses so its going to be a dificult one to proove

oh thats a shame,you must be v worried

suppose the crux of this is as the mrsa hospital acquired.many (@20-40%) of us carry S. aureus bacteria located-axilla,nose and are symptom free.

some hosps do swab adults nose/groinpre-op for colonisation but children are usually exempt (unless transferred from another hosp or high risk)

thanks for your replies. well to update he was clear everywhere else, including from when he was swabbed the 2nd time as he was positive in his wound then.

It was spinal surgery so he was also swabbed on admission - so I'm inclined to think this is hospital acquired. Having subsequently witnessed the barrier nursing in practice I can see how it happened.

He was only out a few days before having to go back in and his wound was dressed, not to mention no elderly relatives were round to visit.

If you can find a way and feel okay about it, try to get the wound dressed with silver-containing dressing. It may sound bizarre but check it out for yourself on the internet etc. Good luck.

we've had the silver dressing. I'm hoping its worked as he was reswabbed today.