MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) has “emerged as a predominant pathogen in health-care related infections” (Awad et al., 2009, p. 609). Studies have indicated that MRSA infections have become prevalent in both community and healthcare settings. Statistics indicate that MRSA-related infections cause over 18,600 deaths annually in the United States (Matsubara et al., 2014). Medical professionals have been focusing on the best programs that have the potential to deal with this health problem. Such programs can also be applied in other clinical settings to prevent various pathogens affecting many patients. The use of screening has been supported by many professionals in health care.
MRSA screening can be carried out in patients who are to be admitted in hospitals for a long period (Brown et al., 2005). Individuals at “a higher risk of being infected with MRA while in hospital should be screened carefully” (Kavanagh, Calderon, Saman, & Abusalem, 2014, p. 3). Patients who are being admitted to high-risk areas such as cancer, trauma, surgery, and kidney units should also be carefully screened (Awad et al., 2009). The screening approach will become a powerful quality improvement initiative that can minimize patient-to-patient infections. The proposed MRSA screening protocol will ensure the organisms are not transferred to other persons.
Individuals in different surgical units tend to have complex health issues and problems. They are also surrounded by patients, medical practitioners, and visitors who can spread MRSA infection. The MRSA screening will ensure every infected person receives a simple treatment to get rid of the bacteria. The approach will minimize the risk of spreading the drug-resistant bacteria strain to other patients (Barkatali, Heywood, White, & Paton, 2013). The proposed project will therefore outline the best strategies and approaches for implementing an effective screening protocol in orthopedic surgery units. Such protocols will play a positive role towards minimizing MRSA infections in such units.
Nature of the Project
The study will focus on the best strategies, actions, and processes that can be used to implement an effective MRSA screening protocol. The project will outline the best protocols and procedures for MRSA screening. Every person visiting the targeted orthopedic surgery unit will also be screened for MRSA infection. The project will be founded on the knowledge that MRSA is a drug resistant pathogen capable of posing numerous health challenges (Matsubara et al., 2014). The resistant bacterium has also been responsible for thousands of deaths every year in the United States. That being the case, a powerful screening method will minimize chances of infection. Patients, visitors, family friends, relatives, and staff members will also be screened. The approach will ensure the health challenges associated with MRSA are minimized. The proposed study will produce a powerful MRSA Screening Protocol that can be implemented in different surgical departments.
Type of Research
A systematic review of literature will be used to complete the proposed study. The review will outline the major strategies and methods used by leading healthcare organizations to screen for MRSA infections. The gathered information from such peer-reviewed articles will then be used to develop an evidence-based protocol for MRSA screening (Zoumalan & Rosenberg, 2008). Past studies and theories will also be used to support the implementation of the MRSA Screening Protocol. This proposed MRSA Screening Protocol should be applicable in different healthcare settings.
Reference List
Awad, S., Palacio, C., Subramanian, A., Byers, P., Abraham, P., Lewis, D.,…Young, E. (2009). Implementation of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevention bundle results in decreased MRSA surgical site infections. The American Journal of Surgery, 198(1), 607-610.
Barkatali, B., Heywood, N., White, R., & Paton, R. (2013). MRSA screening in orthopedic surgery: clinically valuable and cost effective: A prospective analysis of 8,867 patients. Acta Orthopaedica Belgica, 79(1), 463-469.
Brown, D., Edwards, D., Hawkey, P., Morrison, D., Ridgway, G., Towner, K.,…Wren, M. (2005). Guidelines for the laboratory diagnosis and susceptibility testing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 56(1), 1000-1018.
Kavanagh, K., Calderon, L., Saman, D., & Abusalem, S. (2014). The use of surveillance and preventative measures for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in surgical patients. Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control, 3(18), 1-7.
Matsubara, Y., Uchiyama, H., Higashi, T., Edagawa, A., Ishii, H., Nagata, S.,…Takenaka, K. (2014). Nasal MRSA screening for surgical patients: predictive value for postoperative infections caused by MRSA. Surgery Today, 44(1), 1018-1025.
Zoumalan, R., & Rosenberg, D. (2008). Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: positive surgical site infections in face-lift surgery. JAMA, 10(2), 116-123.