Educating the Educating the Athletic Community Athletic Community about MRSAabout MRSA

Presentation for Hawaii Presentation for Hawaii Athletic Trainers’ Athletic Trainers’ AssociationAssociation

August 2009August 2009

Why bother?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.

WHY BOTHER?WHY BOTHER?

Because…Because…

17 year old wrestler Noah A. 17 year old wrestler Noah A. Developed flu like symptoms Developed flu like symptoms following wrestling camp in following wrestling camp in Lake Arrowhead, CA June 2008Lake Arrowhead, CA June 2008

PMD suspected chicken poxPMD suspected chicken pox Noah developed pneumoniaNoah developed pneumonia Died July 20, 2008Died July 20, 2008

Because….Because….

Saleen Jones, 17 year old Saleen Jones, 17 year old cornerback at Martin Luther King cornerback at Martin Luther King High school in Philadelphia died High school in Philadelphia died Sept 27, 2008 from MRSASept 27, 2008 from MRSA

No visible signs of MRSA No visible signs of MRSA infectioninfection

Went to hospital with neck pain, Went to hospital with neck pain, initially ER staff suspected initially ER staff suspected head injuryhead injury

Other newsmakers Other newsmakers

Ryan Robinson, junior soccer Ryan Robinson, junior soccer player Jessamine High School Ky player Jessamine High School Ky Died 2008Died 2008

Alonzo Smith, senior Liberty HS Alonzo Smith, senior Liberty HS Florida went to ER with back Florida went to ER with back spasms, quad contraction and rash spasms, quad contraction and rash died Oct 2008died Oct 2008

An entire county in Wisconsin An entire county in Wisconsin suspended wrestling for one month suspended wrestling for one month in 2007 due to “widespread MRSA”in 2007 due to “widespread MRSA”

Why bother?Why bother?

2007—6 out of 59 high school 2007—6 out of 59 high school football players diagnosed with MRSA football players diagnosed with MRSA infection after spending 4 nights infection after spending 4 nights sleeping in school gym for football sleeping in school gym for football camp. camp.

Although athletes were offered Although athletes were offered laundry service most never washed laundry service most never washed the towels they brought into camp.the towels they brought into camp.

Athletes shared towels, soap, and Athletes shared towels, soap, and razors razors

Why bother…Why bother…

Infectious Disease News reported Infectious Disease News reported in May 2007 that 53% of Certified in May 2007 that 53% of Certified Athletic Trainers surveyed, Athletic Trainers surveyed, reported treating a MRSA reported treating a MRSA infection within the past year. infection within the past year.

21 schools were closed in 21 schools were closed in Virginia after a Bedford high Virginia after a Bedford high school senior died from MRSA school senior died from MRSA complication in 2008complication in 2008

PREVENTION THROUGH PREVENTION THROUGH EDUCATIONEDUCATION ““It is much easier to cure It is much easier to cure what you never had in the what you never had in the first place”first place”

Sam the flim flam manSam the flim flam man

Who to educateWho to educate

Student AthletesStudent Athletes CoachesCoaches AdministratorsAdministrators ParentsParents Equipment ManagersEquipment Managers Janitorial/custodial staffJanitorial/custodial staff

How?How?

Know your audience; know what Know your audience; know what appeals to them and what their appeals to them and what their attention span is.attention span is.

Know where you presentKnow where you present– At practice field, gym, courtAt practice field, gym, court– Classrooms, auditoriums etcClassrooms, auditoriums etc

Today’s Students are visual Today’s Students are visual learners, your medium for learners, your medium for presenting depends on your sitepresenting depends on your site

Who do you think has Who do you think has the shortest the shortest attention span?attention span? Students?Students? Parents?Parents? Coaches?Coaches? Administrators?Administrators? Staff?Staff?

Educating studentsEducating students

SCARE THEM!!!SCARE THEM!!! Put posters in Athletic Training Put posters in Athletic Training Room, locker rooms, bulletin boardsRoom, locker rooms, bulletin boards

Show them pictures, power points, Show them pictures, power points, videosvideos

Tell them there is a podcastTell them there is a podcast Tell them how to clean and to keep Tell them how to clean and to keep wounds coveredwounds covered

Make sure they clean equipment and Make sure they clean equipment and personal items like knee/elbow padspersonal items like knee/elbow pads

Teach them to Teach them to STOP SHARINGSTOP SHARING

EDUCATING PARENTSEDUCATING PARENTS

TAP THEIR EMOTIONSTAP THEIR EMOTIONS I start with picture of Saleen I start with picture of Saleen JonesJones

Tell them what they can do at Tell them what they can do at homehome

Tell them signs and symptoms that Tell them signs and symptoms that warrant MD visitwarrant MD visit

Reassure them what you, your Reassure them what you, your employer do to prevent and employer do to prevent and control MRSAcontrol MRSA

EDUCATING EDUCATING ADMINISTRATORSADMINISTRATORS REASSURE THEMREASSURE THEM Tell them the steps you and your Tell them the steps you and your athletic staff take to prevent athletic staff take to prevent infection ie. infection ie. – Disinfection controls :Mop floors, disinfect Disinfection controls :Mop floors, disinfect treatment tables (often), disinfectant in treatment tables (often), disinfectant in whirlpools, wash towels and uniforms in whirlpools, wash towels and uniforms in hottest water safe for fabric, wash handshottest water safe for fabric, wash hands

– Cleanse and bandage all wounds dailyCleanse and bandage all wounds daily– Refer to MD when any symptoms arise Refer to MD when any symptoms arise – Tell them you are trying to educate your Tell them you are trying to educate your coaches,students, and parentscoaches,students, and parents

– Communicate with school nurse/health centerCommunicate with school nurse/health center

EDUCATING COACHESEDUCATING COACHES

SHOCK THEM!!SHOCK THEM!! Put Newspaper clippings in their locker Put Newspaper clippings in their locker room, mailbox, or clipboardroom, mailbox, or clipboard

Highlight the part where the coaches Highlight the part where the coaches are quotedare quoted

Make sure they know all skin wounds Make sure they know all skin wounds have high riskhave high risk

Make sure they have first aid supplies Make sure they have first aid supplies at practiceat practice

Tell them to encourage players to Tell them to encourage players to shower immediately after practice and shower immediately after practice and not to share soap or towelsnot to share soap or towels

EDUCATING SCHOOL EDUCATING SCHOOL STAFFSTAFF MATTER OF FACTMATTER OF FACT TELL THEM EXACTLY WHAT THEY TELL THEM EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO PREVENT OR NEED TO DO TO PREVENT OR MINIMIZE OUTBREAKMINIMIZE OUTBREAK

Give them CDC guidelinesGive them CDC guidelines Make sure coaches and Make sure coaches and equipment staff wear gloves equipment staff wear gloves while handling laundrywhile handling laundry

Great ResourcesGreat Resources

CDC CDC www.cdc.govwww.cdc.gov Click on Click on MRSA education materialsMRSA education materials

They have lots of downloads, They have lots of downloads, posters, handouts, posters, handouts, powerpoints, podcasts.powerpoints, podcasts.

All are reproducible and free. All are reproducible and free. You may also order full size You may also order full size posters. The power point is posters. The power point is from 2004 and can be edited.from 2004 and can be edited.

CDC handouts:CDC handouts:

There are There are differing differing headers to headers to this handoutthis handout

MRSA:MRSA:Implications in Sports Implications in Sports

MedicineMedicine

Staphylococcus Staphylococcus aureusaureus, often , often referred to as referred to as “staph”, are “staph”, are bacteria bacteria commonly carried commonly carried on the skin or on the skin or in the nose of in the nose of healthy peoplehealthy people

ResourcesResources

HibicleansHibicleans They have posters, handouts, They have posters, handouts, video/DVDs video/DVDs

ResourcesResources

NATA NATA www.nata.orgwww.nata.org

Best practices Best practices statementstatement

ResourcesResources

Hawaii State Hawaii State Department of HealthDepartment of Health

www.hawaii.gov/healtwww.hawaii.gov/healthh

There is one handout There is one handout but not much elsebut not much else

Poster from State Poster from State Department of HealthDepartment of Health

ResourcesResources

www.mrsaresoucwww.mrsaresouces.comes.com

They have a They have a printable, printable, customizable, customizable, tri-fold tri-fold brochure brochure written at written at student levelstudent level

SummarySummary

Use a variety of materialsUse a variety of materials Leave a handout after you Leave a handout after you finish speakingfinish speaking

Try to keep to 15 minutes or Try to keep to 15 minutes or lessless

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

MahaloMahalo