You walk into a hospital for what you think will be a routine stay to monitor your blood pressure and make adjustments to your medication as needed. Everything seemed to be going along smoothly. Somehow a few days later you are in ICU, along with the IV are other apparatus attached all over your body. As you struggle for your life, your family sits by watching, waiting and wondering…what possibly could have gone wrong. Blood cultures results solve the mystery…you have contracted a MRSA infection (a staph infection that is resistant to antibiotics) which has lead to sepsis (infection in your blood).
Now…here is what I found to be very alarming...little if any attention is given to the prevention of transmitting of infection from the use of the stethoscope. Can you remember the last time your practitioner used a stethoscope to listen to your chest or take your blood pressure? Did he/she do anything other than take it out of their pocket and proceed to use it on you? The head of the stethoscope, which is used on every patient that enters a hospital or practitioners office, is a place for threatening pathogens to harbor and be transferred from patient to patient.
I find this lack of concern for public safety to be unacceptable. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and the AMA (American Medical Associate) both recommend disinfecting stethoscopes in between patients. However, we know from firsthand experience, this does not happen because most practitioners find it to be too time consuming and in an emergency situation impossible to properly disinfect their stethoscopes’ in between patients. There is however a solutions. Since 2004 from the work of Isaac Wurtzberger M.D. an easy to use, disposable shield has been available. This product is inexpensive and has been thoroughly tested for acoustical integrity.
Don’t be misled and think that something as small as the head of a stethoscope cannot possible lead to your death…it can. You have the power and it is up to every individual to take control of their health. So you ask…what can you do…you can take steps to protect yourself. If you send me a request via my website for a sample,
http://www.mypearlsofhealth.com/contactus.... I will send you my mailing information. Once I receive a self addressed stamped envelop, I will send you two covers along with the information where you can purchase them. If you would like the information without receiving a sample just indicate that on the contact form and the purchasing information will be provided via email.
After you receive your sample, take it with you on the next visit to your practitioner and insist that he/she use it. Be sure to also share the information with your friends and family so they know about it and where they can obtain their samples and purchase information.
The next step is to work toward changing how the medical community at large operates. Insist that your practitioner order them for use in their private office…your life is worth much more than the cost. If for some reason they have a problem with that…perhaps it is time to find a practitioner that will. If you happen to find yourself in a hospital…take your covers with you and insist that they are used during your stay there. Speak with the patient advocate regarding your concerns on the lack of their availability and ask whom you could speak with regarding the issue. Continue your campaign until everywhere you go you find it is a common practice.
If you have any questions…always feel free to contact me. Dr. Wurtzberger gave us the solution…now it is up to us to be part of the change.
Posted By: Belinda Anderson
Tuesday, March 24th 2009 at 9:07PM
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