The case of Jay Sorenson is a heartbreaking one. MRSA is an epidemic still seen in hospitals today. It is my belief that it is the lack of knowledge by hospital personnel and staff to be properly trained to disinfect all hospital equipment properly. MRSA is so highly contagious that it can be transmitted through all areas of a hospital or doctors' office. Proper measures must be taken to see that this horrible staph infection stops spreading.
A good friend of mine shared his experience with having MRSA. He told me that it started out as a pimple like blister on the inside of her nostril. He thought it was a pimple and popped it. It was, in fact, a staph infection she contracted through her sister. My friend became very ill as it spread very quickly through her body. He was hospitalized for one week and half his face resembled Bell's Palsy. After rounds of intravenous antibiotics, he appeared to be getting better. MRSA is highly resistant to antibiotics and he spent the next few months on different antibiotics. To this day, he has Bactroban to use inside the rim of his nostrils to prevent another staph infection.
What could help prevent MRSA is to speak up to hospital staff or doctor's office staff if you see something that needs to be cleaned. All equipment in both settings should be disinfected before it is used on another patient. Blood pressure cuffs see thousands of patients per day. Alcohol wipes must be used clean the cuff after each use. Gloves should always be worn no matter what. Protective wear should always be worn if you suspect a patient has or has been exposed to staph. It is also important for the patient and family members to be aware of their surroundings. Bed linens should be changed daily and put in the proper biohazard container. It is an all too common problem that some patients don't have anyone to speak for them in these situations. Something as simple as a dirty towel could start a spread of this deadly strain of staph.