Monday, January 10, 2011

Antimicrobial Management and Stewardship in the Latest APIC MRSA Elimination Guide

The 2nd edition of Guide to the Elimination of MRSA Transmission in Hospital Settings by APIC outlines the recommendations for antimicrobial stewardship.  According to the Guide, infection preventionists have the responsibility to:
1. Establish timely communication systems to caregivers when MDROs are identified
2. identify MDRO transmission in the acute care setting
3. Recognize MDRO resistance patterns
4. Monitor for and recognize novel resistance
5. Collaborate with laboratory, pharmacy, and other team members to plan and implement effective interventions

In addition, APIC recommends the preparation of annual antibiograms for specific units within a hospital to identify suspected outbreaks within defined areas of the hospital.  IPs should also review the following frequently in order to better understand changes in MRDOs' resistance trends:
1. Compliance with infection prevention policies minimizing transmission risks
2. Changes to infection prevention practices
3. Changing resistance patterns within the community
4. Entry of resistant pathogens or new resistant clones into the facility
5. Addition of medical services
6. Changes to patient populations who are at risk for MRSA and MDROs

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