Beyond ß: Lessons Learned from Implementation of the Department of Veterans Affairs Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Prevention Initiative

2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 763-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda G. Garcia-Williams ◽  
LaToya J. Miller ◽  
Kelly H. Burkitt ◽  
Timothy Cuerdon ◽  
Rajiv Jain ◽  
...  

To describe the key strategies and potential pitfalls involved with implementing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Prevention Initiative in a qualitative evaluation, we conducted in-depth interviews with MRSA Prevention Coordinators at 17 VA ß sites at 2 time points during program implementation.

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 456-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen M. Kralovic ◽  
Martin E. Evans ◽  
Loretta A. Simbartl ◽  
Meredith Ambrose ◽  
Rajiv Jain ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (5) ◽  
pp. 1142-1148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kari A Mergenhagen ◽  
Kaitlyn E Starr ◽  
Bethany A Wattengel ◽  
Alan J Lesse ◽  
Zarchi Sumon ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Treatment of suspected methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a cornerstone of many antibiotic regimens; however, there is associated toxicity. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals screen each patient for MRSA nares colonization on admission and transfer. The objective was to determine the negative predictive value (NPV) of MRSA screening in the determination of subsequent positive clinical culture for MRSA. High NPVs with MRSA nares screening may be used as a stewardship tool. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study across VA medical centers nationwide from 1 January 2007 to 1 January 2018. Data from patients with MRSA nares screening were obtained from the VA Corporate Data Warehouse. Subsequent clinical cultures within 7 days of the nares swab were evaluated for the presence of MRSA. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, and NPVs were calculated for the entire cohort as well as subgroups for specific culture sites. Results This cohort yielded 561 325 clinical cultures from a variety of anatomical sites. The sensitivity and specificity for positive MRSA clinical culture were 67.4% and 81.2%, respectively. The NPV of MRSA nares screening for ruling out MRSA infection was 96.5%. The NPV for bloodstream infections was 96.5%, for intraabdominal cultures it was 98.6%, for respiratory cultures it was 96.1%, for wound cultures it was 93.1%, and for cultures from the urinary system it was 99.2%. Conclusion Given the high NPVs, MRSA nares screening may be a powerful stewardship tool for deescalation and avoidance of empirical anti-MRSA therapy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (10) ◽  
pp. 2732-2735
Author(s):  
Judith M Strymish ◽  
William O’ Brien ◽  
Kamal Itani ◽  
Kalpana Gupta ◽  
Westyn Branch-Elliman

Abstract Factors driving vancomycin surgical prophylaxis are poorly understood. In a national Veterans Affairs cohort with manually validated data, surgical specialty (cardiac, orthopedics) and perception of high facility methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevalence—not MRSA colonization—were the primary drivers of prescribing. A β-lactam allergy was the second most common reason. These data may inform perioperative stewardship.


2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nora E. Colburn ◽  
Jennifer Cadnum ◽  
Elizabeth Flannery ◽  
Shelley Chang ◽  
Curtis J. Donskey ◽  
...  

In a prevalence study of 209 healthcare workers, 18 (8.6%) and 13 (6.2%) carried methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in their nares or on their hands, respectively. However, 100 (62%) of 162 workers completing an associated survey believed themselves to be colonized, revealing a knowledge deficit about methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus epidemiology.Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2015;37(1):110–112


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