When someone you love develops an antimicrobial resistant infection (AMR), your first instinct may be to stay close and help in any way you can. At the same time, you may wonder whether you could pick up the germ, carry it home or put another family member or friend at risk.
An AMR diagnosis can be frightening, but it does not mean you should avoid your loved one. It means you need clear information about the germ and the precautions that apply to it. By asking questions, following the healthcare team’s instructions and building a few careful habits into your routine, you can support your loved one while reducing the risk of the germ spreading.
What Antimicrobial Resistance Means
Antimicrobial resistance, often shortened to AMR, occurs when germs such as bacteria and fungi develop the ability to survive the medications designed to treat them. The infection may then become harder to treat and may require different medications, a longer recovery or a longer hospital stay.
The scale of the problem is significant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur in the United States each year and that more than 35,000 people die as a result1.
Start By Asking the Right Questions
Different resistant germs spread in different ways and may require different precautions. Before deciding what your family should do, ask the healthcare team:
- What is the name of the germ?
- Where is the infection located?
- How can the germ spread?
- Is my loved one infected or colonized?
- What precautions should visitors and caregivers follow?
Infection means the germ is causing illness. Colonization means the germ is present on or in the body without causing symptoms. A colonized person may still be capable of spreading the germ, so the distinction matters even when the person feels well.
How To Help During a Hospital Stay
If your loved one is in the hospital, check the signs outside the room and follow every posted precaution. Staff may ask you to wear gloves or a gown. Put them on as directed, remove them before leaving the room and clean your hands immediately afterward.
It is appropriate to politely remind anyone entering the room to clean their hands before and after touching the patient, a wound dressing, a catheter or other medical equipment. You can also lower risk by avoiding a few common behaviors:
- Do not sit on the patient’s bed.
- Do not handle wound dressings or medical devices unless the care team has shown you how to help safely.
- Postpone your visit if you have diarrhea, vomiting, fever or respiratory symptoms.
Prepare Before Your Loved One Comes Home
Discharge instructions should be specific enough that you know what to do once you are home. Ask the healthcare team to explain and, when possible, write down:
- How to care for wounds and change dressings
- Whether gloves are recommended for personal care
- How to clean medical equipment and frequently touched surfaces
- Which cleaning products are appropriate for the specific germ
- How to handle bedding, towels and clothing
- Which symptoms require a call to the healthcare provider or immediate medical attention
If any instruction is unclear, ask the care team to demonstrate the task before discharge. Do not rely on a one-size-fits-all cleaning routine. Some organisms require specific products or precautions.
Build Safer Habits at Home
Keep Hands Clean
Everyone in the home should clean their hands before and after providing personal care, and before and after changing a bandage or touching a wound. Gloves may be recommended for certain tasks, but gloves never replace hand hygiene.
Care For Wounds as Directed
Keep wounds clean and covered according to the healthcare team’s instructions. Do not share towels, washcloths, razors, clothing or other personal items that may have touched the infected area.
Clean For the Specific Germ
Focus on frequently touched surfaces and use the product, concentration and contact time recommended by the healthcare team. Follow the product label. More product is not necessarily better, and mixing cleaning products can be dangerous.
Handle Laundry Carefully
Avoid shaking soiled bedding or clothing because that movement can spread germs into the surrounding area. Follow the laundering instructions provided at discharge and clean your hands after handling soiled items.
Use Medications Exactly as Prescribed
Your loved one should take antibiotics or antifungal medications exactly as directed. Do not skip doses, stop treatment early, save medication for later or share it with someone else. Contact the healthcare provider if side effects occur or the infection does not appear to be improving.
Make Sure the Diagnosis Follows the Patient
Every healthcare professional caring for your loved one should know about the resistant infection, even after symptoms have resolved. This includes doctors, dentists, home health providers, emergency personnel, and staff at rehabilitation or long-term care facilities. Sharing that history helps each care team make informed treatment and precaution decisions.
Know When to Seek Medical Help
Contact the healthcare provider if symptoms return, worsen or fail to improve as expected. Seek prompt medical advice if a family member develops signs of infection after close contact. If you are unsure how urgent a symptom is, call the care team for guidance. For severe or rapidly worsening symptoms, seek emergency care.
You Can Support Your Loved One Without Stepping Away
A resistant infection changes the precautions a family may need to take, but it does not change the importance of being present. Learn the name of the germ. Ask how it spreads. Follow the instructions for hands, wounds, laundry, surfaces and medication. Make sure future healthcare providers know the diagnosis.
Those practical steps can help you care for someone you love while reducing the risk of the germ spreading to someone else.
This article provides general educational information and is not a substitute for medical advice. Follow the instructions provided by your loved one’s healthcare team.
Sources:
CDC Antimicrobial Resistance Facts and Stats, CDC About Antimicrobial Resistance, CDC Antimicrobial Resistance Communications Toolkit
