Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria that lives on the skin and mucous membranes (nose) of healthy people. When this bacteria becomes resistant to certain antibiotics it is called MRSA. MRSA is spread from one person to another by contact, usually by touching equipment or furniture contaminated by MRSA. MRSA can live on hands and on objects in the environment for a long time if not cleaned properly.

Hospital patients who are elderly or very ill are more susceptible to MRSA. Others who may be at risk are people who have had frequent long-term or intensive use of antibiotics. MRSA does not usually pose a problem to healthy individuals.

Using an alcohol-based hand rub or hand washing before and after contact with any patient is the best way you can help prevent the spread of MRSA.

These patients will be placed under isolation precautions. It is important for all who enter the patient’s room, to follow all of the directions on the precaution sign posted outside the room.

STEGH currently has an active MRSA surveillance program. One component of this surveillance program (MRSA bacteremia infections) will be released December 30, 2008. MRSA bacteremia – is the presence of MRSA bacteria in the bloodstream.

The number of new hospital-acquired MRSA bacteremia infections will be posted on a quarterly basis. (Note: 0 cases = 0, 1 – 4 cases = < 5, 5 and more will be indicated by the whole number)

The MRSA bacteremia infection rate is calculated as a rate per 1,000 patient days. The total patient days represents the sum of the number of days during which services were provided to all inpatients during the given time frame.

The smaller the facility, the greater the rates will vary – this is because a change in even one case in a small facility will cause the rate to go up or down considerably.

The target rate is not currently available but it is anticipated that this will be established by the MOHTLC for hospitals of comparable size in the near future.

What does hospital-acquired mean?
Sometimes when patients are admitted to the hospital, they get infections while they are in the hospital. This is a hospital-acquired infection or a nosocomial infection. Usually it is MRSA, VRE or C. difficile.

The method of calculation of the MRSA bacteraemia infection rate for the reporting period (on a quarterly basis) is:

Number of nosocomial patients with laboratory identification of MRSA bacteraemia    x 1000
Total number of patient days

Where the numerator is the total number of newly identified cases for MRSA bacteraemia associated with the reporting facility, for the reporting period. The denominator is the total number of in-patient days for the reporting period. There are no exclusion criteria.

St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital takes the care and safety of our patients very seriously, and we are committed to transparency, and continuous improvement. 

Unfortunately, like many hospitals in Ontario our size, on any given day, STEGH has patients in isolation with infectious diseases such as MRSA. Our focus on patient and staff safety includes a concerted effort in preventing and managing MRSA in this facility.

The STEGH Infection Control Committee has supported and recommended a number of strategies to minimize risk as outlined in our policies and procedures.

STEGH uses multiple controls to prevent the spread of MRSA, which includes but is not limited to:

• Hand hygiene facilitation: Alcohol based hand rub (ABHR) has been strategically placed at Point of Care within the patient’s environment so that all care providers can easily access it. STEGH participated in the MOHLTC Just Clean Your Hands pilot and continues to emphasize hand hygiene practice as one of the key components to prevent spread.

• Education: STEGH staff has been educated on the procedure for managing MRSA which is based on the Provincial Infectious Disease Advisory Committee’s (PIDAC) ARO Best Practice Guidelines. Infection Control practices are audited on a regular basis.

• Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): The use of PPE (gown, and gloves) is required by all who enter the patient environment.

• Isolation requirements: Our control measures include appropriate patient placement. Patients with MRSA will have a ‘Contact’ isolation sign posted outside their room that reviews all necessary instructions that must be followed by all as they enter and exit the patient room. The isolation signage provides a visible communication tool that prompts enhanced environmental cleaning.

• Tracking MRSA: STEGH screens all patients known to have a history of MRSA, have risk factors for MRSA on admission to our hospital.

• Environmental cleaning is ongoing using recommended germicides.

  • STEGH conducts daily room cleaning using a special disinfectant.

  • Our cleaning staff is well trained and is dedicated to keeping our hospital clean and safe for our patients.