The Rise and Prevention of Staph Infection in Hospitals Essay

Any infection caused by Staphylococcus bacteria gets described as staph infection.¹ These infections are communicable, and they trigger abscesses. Although infections caused by Staphylococcus bacteria are common and may not always need treatment, they pose serious problems when they occur in open wounds. Most infections that occur in the United States’ hospitals originate from Staphylococcus bacteria.

Signs and Symptoms

Various signs and symptoms characterize staph infections. Some of these signs and symptoms include skin abscess, boils, fever, as well as swollen lymph nodes at the groin and armpits.² Swellings may also occur in areas that have open wounds, or cuts. The most common symptoms in infants are wearing out and blistering of the skin. The skin appears swollen, red and full of pus. The infected part of the skin is usually painful and warm. Fever, accompanied by sweat, develops only after the infection spreads.

Causes

Although Staphylococcus bacteria are airborne, most staph infections occur when a person comes into direct contact with body fluids, or open wounds that have the bacteria. Sore hair follicles and oil glands act as points of entry for the bacteria into the body. These bacteria may also penetrate the body through skin that has cuts, wounds, or infections.

The bacterium develops under the skin and destroys all surrounding tissues. Staphylococcus bacteria cause infection of the blood when it permeates through the blood and lymph fluid. These infections get described as Staphylococcal bacteremia. Intravenous apparatus and contaminated catheters are the main causes of these infections. Doctors and physicians must handle every Staphylococcal bacteremia case with care as it can easily cause death.

Explain the Procedure an X-ray Technician would do if a Patient had Staph Infection in the Radiology Department

Technicians may carry out x-rays to trace internal abscesses and assess the level of an infection. Most patients get referred to the radiology department after they get suspected to have Staphylococcal bacteremia. The symptoms of Staphylococcal bacteremia resemble those of acute endocarditis, which occurs when Staphylococcus bacteria penetrate through the blood to the heart valves. However, acute endocarditis is more severe than Staphylococcal bacteremia. Also, the time of antibiotic therapy between the two conditions differ. Hence, it is necessary to conduct x-ray to differentiate uncomplicated bacteremias from infective endocarditis. This will make sure that antibiotic therapy gets administered in a more cost-effective and precise way. The form of x-ray that is most suitable for this situation is transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).

TEE is efficient in detecting problems like abscesses and valve perforations since it visualizes even small infections. ³ TEE makes use of sound waves to draw the makeup of the heart, valves as well as chambers. A technician can search for any abscesses within the heart as well as any markers of destruction to the heart valves, through echocardiography.⁴ He or she can also check the heart for any abnormal growths that have infecting organisms.

TEE involves inserting a tube through the mouth. This allows hearts images to form at the back of the tube. TEE allows earlier identification and commencement of therapy.

Procedure

The technician will first explain to the patients all the risks involved and then ask him or her to consent to the process. The technician will then connect the patient to a device that monitors the patient’s vital signs. This device has a blood pressure cuff, an ECG and a finger probe. The ECG measures the heart rate and rhythm while a finger probe monitors the level of oxygen. The technician will give oxygen and suction when need occurs. He will also place an intravenous line on the arm of the patient, from where the patient will get fluids and medications.

Next, the technician will use an anesthetic spray to numb the patient’s throat as well as a sedation to help him, or her relax. He will place a small piece of plastic, with a hole, between the teeth to make the mouth stay open in the process. The technician will then order the patient to lie on his left side and put his chin on the chest. The technician will then insert a tube through the hole in the plastic piece and instruct the patient to swallow.

The entire process will take half an hour after which the technician will follow the patient. For inpatient, the technicians will instruct a nurse to return him or her to the unit. Conversely, the technician will follow an outpatient client for a whole hour, after the test. The technician will only allow the patient to return home when he or she is in the company of a responsible person.

References

Higley, Connie. Reference Guide for Essential Oils. Spanish Fork, Utah: Abundant Health, 2005. Print.

Kim, Alice, Karin Adal and Steven Schmitt. “Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteremia: Using Echocardiography to Guide Length of Therapy.” Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine 70.6 (2003): 517-533. Print.

Singh, Nadia. Nursing: The Ultimate Study Guide. New York: Springer, 2012. Print.

Footnotes

1. Connie Higley, Reference Guide for Essential Oils (Spanish Fork, Utah: Abundant Health, 2005) 551.
2. Nadia Singh, Nursing: The Ultimate Study Guide (New York: Springer, 2012) 84.
3. Alice Kim, Karin Adal and Steven Schmitt, “Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteremia: Using Echocardiography to Guide Length of Therapy,” Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine 70.6 (2003): 526.
4. Ibid.