Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) is a common type of bacteria found on people’s skin. In general, Staph bacteria are harmless. On occasion, Staph causes infections that are treated with antibiotics, which can lead to antibiotic resistance. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an antibiotic resistant strain of Staph that can cause infections. These type of infections are difficult to treat due to the limited antibiotics available to use. In some cases, MRSA can get into the bloodstream leading to sepsis and in some cases, death. MRSA is often spread through direct contact with infected wounds or contaminated hands.
How is The Queen’s Health System Performing Compared to the Nation?
The Queen’s Health System reports out all identified MRSA bloodstream infections to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). A standardized infection ratio (SIR) is calculated by NHSN, which is a risk-adjusted summary measure that compares the observed number of infections to the predicted number of infections during a selected time period. The measure takes into account risk factors that may impact the number of infections at a facility, including facility size, the types of patients treated and kinds of procedures performed.
SIRs below one indicate that the observed number of infections during the measured period was lower than would be expected, while values above one indicate that the observed number of infections was higher than expected.
Data
How Do We Prevent the Spread of MRSA in the Hospital?
To reduce the spread of MRSA, The Queen’s Health System has put into place practices consistent with guidelines set by the CDC:
- Health care personnel follow the World Health Organization’s 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene
- Health care personnel wear gowns and gloves while providing care to patients with MRSA
- Proper cleaning of environment and medical equipment with a hospital-approved disinfectant must be conducted at all times
- Disposable supplies are used as much as possible
- Antibiotics must be appropriately administered
