Mrsa

[Crosstimbers Okie]

Another e-mail I received...

Irene,

If a staff member think they caught MRSA from an inmate, a test can be
requested/performed to discover whether it came from that particular
inmate. If you contact your local Infectious Disease Coordinator, he
should be able to tell you what the test is called. I was told the test
cost about $100.

Normally, the agency request a culture from each inmate who catches the
dangerous infectious disease. They do this so they can find out if
someone else caught the same MRSA strain -which normally, asserts there is
an Outbreak.

Now, I do know of one case that was narrowed back to an Institution.
The case came out of Pollock. Initiately, the agency fought the CO
from getting workers' comp, claiming he did not get the disease from work.
But they eventually gave in then, utilized him to make the MRSA Video
--which as put out across the Bureau for staff.

In the video, the Officer talks about how his family members contracted
the disease. I believe, Mr. Kendig, from Central Office narrated the
video along with the Officer who caught the disease.

E.O. Young
Southeast Regional VP

[Von Nanega]

We had kind of the same thing, but with hepatitus at Lompoc.

[Crosstimbers Okie]

Whe've got plenty of Hep-C too. MRSA is terribly contageous.

[BossMan]

MRSA's a big thing at my facility. Gross ****!

[jimespivey]

I have had good luck getting MRSA accepted in worker's comp cases. Here is where a lot of people mess up in filing for this and other infectous diseases....Simple exposure alone is not enough to file for work comp. Let's say you had a needle stick. People file for exposure to hep., MRSA or AIDS. But what needs to happen is that you file a CA-1 for the needlestick itself. If MRSA or something else is contracted that would be a "casual relationship" to the initial injury. Here is what the law says:

The FECA does not authorize payment for preventive measures such as
vaccines and inoculations, and in general, preventive treatment may be a
responsibility of the employing agency under the provisions of 5 U.S.C.
7901(see Sec. 10.303). However, OWCP can authorize treatment for the
following conditions, even though such treatment is designed, in part,
to prevent further injury:
(a) Complications of preventive measures which are provided or
sponsored by the agency, such as an adverse reaction to prophylactic
immunization.
(b) Actual or probable exposure to a known contaminant due to an
injury, thereby requiring disease-specific measures against infection.
Examples include the provision of tetanus antitoxin or booster toxoid
injections for puncture wounds; administration of rabies vaccine for a
bite from a rabid or potentially rabid animal; or appropriate measures
where exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has occurred.
(c) Conversion of tuberculin reaction from negative to positive
following exposure to tuberculosis in the performance of duty. In this
situation, the appropriate therapy may be authorized.
(d) Where injury to one eye has resulted in loss of vision, periodic
examination of the uninjured eye to detect possible sympathetic
involvement of the uninjured eye at an early stage.

So make sure you go this route. You need to have a cut or something else to make this go through.

Jimmy Spivey

[Crosstimbers Okie]

Excellent advice!

[Kyle313]

Does HIPPA come into effect when determining and testing a particular inmate? I would think that medical privacy would be an issue here....

[jimespivey]

Hippa does not come into this circumstance. I used to have it but don't have it right in front of me right now.....but there is something called the correctional worker's act of 1998 (or something like that). Because of the the likelyhood of contracting a disease from one of these convicts, we do have the right to know medical history. Also...in CDC's website it talks about MRSA and other bloodborne pathogens being prevailant inside the prison. Because of this the medical doctor can say "in my professional opinion" the employee has contracted MRSA in the work place and that there is a "causual relationship" between the employees job duties and the injury.

[jimespivey]

Here is alink to the Act referenced above:
http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/ni...f/2007-441.pdf

[Kebemt]

Ok guys I am a medic and have had a few classes on MRSA and Its very nasty stuff but there are some simple things you can do to help prevent it. (most of us have been exposed and didnt even notice) Wear gloves when dealing with anyone. I mean like tossing cells patting them down anything. It can be in blood poo or wounds or droplets. so here is the BIGGEST HELP... WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER ALL CONTACT WITH SOMEONE!!! thats all it takes some warm water and Soap and you will be good!!