Patient Situation 2

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Patient Situations: [1] [2]

	Patient Situation: 2 The Nurse Breaks the Chain
	A patient assigned for morning care has an open wound on her left lower leg. The wound is draining and when last cultured, the microorganism MRSA was identified. In preparation for bedmaking, hands of the nurse were washed. Clean linen and a bag for soiled linen were gathered from the linen room and placed on the patient's clean bedside stand. To remove the soiled linen from the bed, the following procedure was followed: Hands washed Gloves worn Each side of the soiled linen ends folded towards the middle of the bed Soiled linen held away from the nurse's clean uniform Soiled linen placed in the linen bag for later discard Protective gloves removed Hands washed
	The nurse applied principles of medical asepsis and standard precautions with the use of body substance isolation to contain the infectious organism at many points in the chain of infection.
	MRSA (Methicillin-resistant organism)
	Patient's infected wound
	Draining from the open wound		BREAK IN THE CHAIN Nurse used proper hand washing techniques, wore protective gloves and properly handled the linen.
	MRSA commonly transferred on hands of the nurse by indirect contact		BREAK IN THE CHAIN Proper hand washing, gloving and handling of linen
			BREAK IN THE CHAIN Organisms isolated with use of medical asepsis and body substance isolation
			PROTECTED