Educating the Athletic Community about MRSA

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Educating the Athletic Community about MRSA

• Presentation for Hawaii Athletic Trainers
  Association
• August 2009

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Why bother?

• BOC STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE STATE
• The BOC does not express an opinion on the
  competence or warrant job performance of
  credential holders however, every Athletic
  Trainer and applicant must agree to comply with
  the Standards at all times.
• Standard 1 Direction
• The Athletic Trainer renders service or treatment
  under the direction of a physician.
• Standard 2 Prevention
• The Athletic Trainer understands and uses
  preventive measures to ensure the highest quality
  of care for
• every patient.

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WHY BOTHER?
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Because

• 17 year old wrestler Noah A. Developed flu like
  symptoms following wrestling camp in Lake
  Arrowhead, CA June 2008
• PMD suspected chicken pox
• Noah developed pneumonia
• Died July 20, 2008

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Because.

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• Saleen Jones, 17 year old cornerback at Martin
  Luther King High school in Philadelphia died Sept
  27, 2008 from MRSA
• No visible signs of MRSA infection
• Went to hospital with neck pain, initially ER
  staff suspected head injury

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Other newsmakers

• Ryan Robinson, junior soccer player Jessamine
  High School Ky Died 2008
• Alonzo Smith, senior Liberty HS Florida went to
  ER with back spasms, quad contraction and rash
  died Oct 2008
• An entire county in Wisconsin suspended wrestling
  for one month in 2007 due to widespread MRSA

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Why bother?

• 20076 out of 59 high school football players
  diagnosed with MRSA infection after spending 4
  nights sleeping in school gym for football camp.
  
• Although athletes were offered laundry service
  most never washed the towels they brought into
  camp.
• Athletes shared towels, soap, and razors

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Why bother

• Infectious Disease News reported in May 2007 that
  53 of Certified Athletic Trainers surveyed,
  reported treating a MRSA infection within the
  past year.
• 21 schools were closed in Virginia after a
  Bedford high school senior died from MRSA
  complication in 2008

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PREVENTION THROUGH EDUCATION

• It is much easier to cure what you never had in
  the first place
• Sam the flim flam man

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Who to educate

• Student Athletes
• Coaches
• Administrators
• Parents
• Equipment Managers
• Janitorial/custodial staff

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How?

• Know your audience know what appeals to them and
  what their attention span is.
• Know where you present
• At practice field, gym, court
• Classrooms, auditoriums etc
• Todays Students are visual learners, your medium
  for presenting depends on your site

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Who do you think has the shortest attention span?

• Students?
• Parents?
• Coaches?
• Administrators?
• Staff?

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Educating students

• SCARE THEM!!!
• Put posters in Athletic Training Room, locker
  rooms, bulletin boards
• Show them pictures, power points, videos
• Tell them there is a podcast
• Tell them how to clean and to keep wounds covered
• Make sure they clean equipment and personal items
  like knee/elbow pads
• Teach them to STOP SHARING

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EDUCATING PARENTS

• TAP THEIR EMOTIONS
• I start with picture of Saleen Jones
• Tell them what they can do at home
• Tell them signs and symptoms that warrant MD
  visit
• Reassure them what you, your employer do to
  prevent and control MRSA

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EDUCATING ADMINISTRATORS

• REASSURE THEM
• Tell them the steps you and your athletic staff
  take to prevent infection ie.
• Disinfection controls Mop floors, disinfect
  treatment tables (often), disinfectant in
  whirlpools, wash towels and uniforms in hottest
  water safe for fabric, wash hands
• Cleanse and bandage all wounds daily
• Refer to MD when any symptoms arise
• Tell them you are trying to educate your
  coaches,students, and parents
• Communicate with school nurse/health center

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EDUCATING COACHES

• SHOCK THEM!!
• Put Newspaper clippings in their locker room,
  mailbox, or clipboard
• Highlight the part where the coaches are quoted
• Make sure they know all skin wounds have high
  risk
• Make sure they have first aid supplies at
  practice
• Tell them to encourage players to shower
  immediately after practice and not to share soap
  or towels

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EDUCATING SCHOOL STAFF

• MATTER OF FACT
• TELL THEM EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO PREVENT
  OR MINIMIZE OUTBREAK
• Give them CDC guidelines
• Make sure coaches and equipment staff wear gloves
  while handling laundry

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Great Resources

• CDC www.cdc.gov Click on MRSA education
  materials
• They have lots of downloads, posters, handouts,
  powerpoints, podcasts.
• All are reproducible and free. You may also
  order full size posters. The power point is from
  2004 and can be edited.

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CDC handouts

• There are differing headers to this handout

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MRSAImplications in Sports Medicine

• Staphylococcus aureus, often referred to as
  staph, are bacteria commonly carried on the
  skin or in the nose of healthy people

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Resources

• Hibicleans
• They have posters, handouts, video/DVDs

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Resources

• NATA www.nata.org
• Best practices statement

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Resources

• Hawaii State Department of Health
• www.hawaii.gov/health
• There is one handout but not much else

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Poster from State Department of Health
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Resources

• www.mrsaresouces.com
• They have a printable, customizable, tri-fold
  brochure written at student level

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Summary

• Use a variety of materials
• Leave a handout after you finish speaking
• Try to keep to 15 minutes or less

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Questions?????????????

• Mahalo