New Mexico Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Collaborative Resources

The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (UNMHSC) recently partnered with rural and urban acute care and long-term care facilities in the state to implement a collaborative aimed at reducing health care-associated bacteremias caused by MRSA. It was funded through a Patient Safety Grant awarded to UNMHSC from the Cardinal Health Foundation. NMMRA was been contracted to carry out the administrative functions of the collaborative, organize and facilitate workshops, provide educational materials, arrange site visits, and collect data.

An Introduction to the New Mexico MRSA Collaborative
This presentation by Susan M. Kellie, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Medicine, provides a description of the epidemiology of MRSA bacteremia in the hospitals participating in the collaborative and addresses the scope of baseline prevention efforts as expressed in the number of areas utilizing active surveillance testing and number of licensed beds in participating facilities.

An Update for Collaborative Participants
This presentation by Susan M. Kellie, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine and Hospital Epidemiologist at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center and the New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health Care System, provides collaborative results, current issues in MRSA management, and gives a look at future directions for the collaborative.

Contact Precautions: Getting Real
This presentation by Victoria A. Ortiz, RN, BSN, University of New Mexico Hospital Infection Control Practitioner, and Nada Lauts, RN, BSN, VA Infection Control Practitioner, describes how to set up contact precautions in a hospital setting.

Decolonization: To Scrub or Not to Scrub?
This presentation by Susan M. Kellie, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, describes the natural history of colonization, including detail of published experiences with various decolonization regimens; outlines reasonable goals and targets for decolonization and includes information about the development of resistance to mupirocin; and outlines implementing decolonization regimens.

Environmental Cleaning
This presentation by Nada M. Lauts, MSN, MBA/HCM; Victoria Ortiz, RN, BSN; and Carol H. Moore, RN, BSN, CIC, describes the importance of the environment to the transmission of MRSA and gives strategies for enhancing environmental cleaning.

Hand Hygiene and Contact Precautions Evaluation
These guidelines should act as a reference tool for staff members performing observations.

Implementing MRSA Surveillance Testing
This presentation by Victoria A. Ortiz, RN, BSN, University of New Mexico Hospital Infection Control Practitioner, and Nada Lauts, RN, BSN, VA Infection Control Practitioner, provides information on the importance of the MRSA bundle and the training and equipment necessary to implement active surveillance as part of the bundle.

Inter-facility Communication During Admission and Transfer of the MRSA Patient
Key issues to consider when designing transfer documents and policies regarding discharge/admission management of MRSA patients

MRSA in Long-term Care: Another Piece of the Puzzle
This presentation by Susan M. Kellie, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine and Hospital Epidemiologist, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center and New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health Care System, provides background for integrating MRSA control in long-term care (LTC) into community MRSA control and outlines how to implement an appropriate MRSA control program in a LTC facility through effective use of standard precautions

MRSA Intensive Care Unit Implementation Task List

New Mexico MRSA Collaborative Data Submmission Tool
A tool for New Mexico MRSA Collaborative members to collect monthly bacteremia and active surveillance testing (AST) counts

New Mexico MRSA Collaborative Factsheet
Provides details about the collaborative and results.

Tailoring a MRSA Risk Assessment to Your Facility and Your Data
This presentation by Susan M. Kellie, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, covers reasons to conduct a risk assessment and how to conduct a risk assessment in your facility.