Strategies to Prevent Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Acute-Care Hospitals
Key Points
Key Points
- Antimicrobial stewardship is an essential practice for the prevention of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in acute-care hospitals.
- Although the use of contact precautions remains an essential practice, hospitals that have strong horizontal prevention measures and neither ongoing MRSA outbreaks nor high or increasing rates of MRSA infection or hospital-onset MRSA-positive cultures may consider modifying the use of contact precautions for some or all MRSA-colonized or MRSA-infected patients.
- Active surveillance testing (AST) for specific patient populations is an additional approach that may be implemented part of a multifaceted strategy to prevent and control MRSA.
- Universal or targeted decolonization in several specific patient populations should be considered when MRSA transmission is not controlled by essential practices.
- This pocket guide highlights practical recommendations to assist acute care hospitals in implementing and prioritizing MRSA prevention efforts.
- It is based on a synthesis of evidence, theoretical rationale, current practices, practical considerations, author consensus, and consideration of potential harm, where applicable.
- No guideline or expert guidance document can anticipate all clinical situations. This pocket guide is not meant to be a substitute for individual clinical judgment by qualified professionals.
Recommendations
...ommendations
...commendations to Prevent MRSA (Table 1)...
...actices: should be adopted by all acute-car...
...MRSA monitoring program. (L)330535...
...RSA risk assessment. (L)3305355
.... Promote compliance with the Centers for Diseas...
...contact precautions for MRSA-colonized and MRSA...
...ning and disinfection of equipment and the environ...
...laboratory-based alert system that notifies he...
...an alert system that identifies readmitted or...
...Provide MRSA data and outcome measures t...
...Educate healthcare personnel about M...
...atients and families about MRSA. (L)330535...
...an antimicrobial stewardship program...
...ditional Approaches: can be considered for use in...
...Surveillance Testing (AST)...
...mplement a MRSA AST program for select pati...
...ctive surveillance for MRSA in con...
.... Active surveillance with contact prec...
...ide active surveillance for MRSA c...
...ve surveillance can be performed in the setting...
...HCP for MRSA infection or colo...
...Screen HCP for MRSA infection or coloniza...
...olonization therapy
.... Use universal decolonization (daily chlorhex...
...rform preoperative nares screening with targeted u...
...RSA and provide targeted decolonization w...
...bathing plus nasal decolonization...
...Consider postdischarge decolonization of MRSA ca...
.... Neonatal ICUs should consider targeted o...
...rn units should consider targeted or universal dec...
...Consider targeted or universal decolonization of h...
...sider decolonization as part of a...
...use of gowns and glove...
...owns and gloves when providing care to or enterin...
...resolved Issues...
...A decolonization Mupirocin and chlor...