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Saturday, 22 October 2005 10:09 | BNN: British Nursing News Online · www.bnn-online.co.uk
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Ward 11 at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, Scotland; have closed the ward to new admissions to prevent the spread of the deadly MRSA superbug.
NHS Tayside health authority took the action after 16 of the 24 patients in a 30-bed ward, which treats mainly elderly patients with vascular conditions, were found to be carrying the bug. The non-infected patients have been moved to a separate area and given their own team of nurses.
A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said the decision to close the ward had been taken as a precaution after tests showed the number of patients who were carrying MRSA was unusually high. She said those with the condition had been separated from other patients.
"As soon as the problem was identified, the hospital infection control team took immediate steps to limit the further spread of MRSA. This includes a 'cohort nursing' system. This means that the nursing staffs are separated into two teams: one team cares for patients who have been identified as carrying MRSA; the other team looks after only those who have not tested positive for the bug.
"This way of working aims to limit the chance of cross-infection between patients. All the standard infection control procedures are in place in the ward, such as alcohol-based hand gels at every bed for the use of staff, patients and visitors."
Dr Gabby Phillips, the hospital's infection control doctor, said: "Because this is a vulnerable patient group, we felt it necessary to take the unusual step of limiting admissions to allow us to control the situation”.
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