Antimicrobial resistance
vapour systems, which are increasingly in use. Using shared equipment with insufficient
cleaning and decontamination between uses can aid transmission of pathogens, such as MRSA. The guidelines list some of the possible equipment, such as stethoscopes and pulse oximeters, which must be cleaned properly between patient uses by physical or chemical means, or should be single patient use. Policies should be introduced to ensure that patients, visitors and staff clean their hands before and after they use the shared equipment. l Do not screen/sample the environment routinely but do consider using environmental screening/sampling as part of the targeted investigation of an outbreak.
l Use standard cleaning products. l Clean and decontaminate shared pieces of equipment used in the delivery of patient care after each use.
Appropriate patient information MRSA has been high on the political agenda and there is considerable fear in the community of developing it on hospital admission following media coverage. It is therefore part of patient care that, if conditions have to be imposed to keep the patient and others safe, that good quality communication with patients and their visitors must take place. Isolation in single rooms and the use of contact precaution PPE can be misconstrued by the patient and lead to feelings of anger and frustration. The guidelines suggest that for patients who are identified as MRSA positive,
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consistent and appropriate information should be given on: l The difference between colonisation and infection.
l The microorganism. l How MRSA is acquired and transmitted and how MRSA is treated.
Use patient leaflets to inform the patient and their carers of any information which may be useful to their continuing care. l Provide clear patient information on MRSA screening and decolonisation in a format and language that the patient and their family can understand.
Conclusion Healthcare infections remain a burden to the NHS and taxpayers, as well as huge concern to patients who, on admission to hospital, need to trust their healthcare professionals and not be afraid. Infection prevention and control is a patient safety issue and is every healthcare professional’s business. There have been notable reductions in MRSA bloodstream infections over the last years, so we must not let this affect the efforts we take now to keep on top of the pathogen. The parallel threat of antimicrobial resistance to all our patients globally is of great concern and needs to be high on the agenda for all of us.
CSJ
References 1. NHS England, Antimicrobial resistance. Accessed at NHS England, https://www.
england.nhs.uk/ourwork/prevention/ antimicrobial-resistance-amr/2. Coia JE, Wilson JA, Bak A, Marsden GL, et al 2021 Accessed at Joint Healthcare Infection Society (HIS) and Infection Prevention Society (IPS) guidelines for the prevention and control of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in healthcare facilities
https://his.org.uk/media/3139/mrsa- guideline-2021.pdf
About the author
Kate Woodhead, Technical Editor for CSJ spent many years working in Operating Theatres in the NHS before setting up her own consultancy business. She was Chair of National Association of Theatre Nurses and President of the International Federation of Perioperative Nurses. In her spare time, she Chairs Friends of African Nursing, a UK based charity.
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