Quality Patient Care

Patient Safety Initiatives

Prevention MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus)

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is a type of staph (bacteria) that is resistant to antibiotics. Approximately 1 percent of our population is currently colonized with MRSA - meaning they are carrying the bacteria it just hasn't materialized into an active infection.

Anyone can get MRSA. You can get MRSA the same way you can get a cold, such as touching someone or something that has the bacteria on it and then touching your eyes or your nose. MRSA can live on surfaces and objects for months, however it can be killed though proper cleaning methods. The best way to prevent MRSA infections is through good hygiene.

The number of MRSA cases is growing nationally, and to help combat the increase of this bacteria, Randolph Hospital is taking a proactive approach to eliminate the spread of MRSA within the hospital through the following methods:

  • Continuous Education to our staff and the community
  • Process Redesign - Implementing rapid testing for MRSA, which decreases the result time from 24 -72 hours to 2 hours.
  • Continuous Use of Universal Precautions - Proper hand hygiene and barrier precautions (gloves and gowns when necessary.)
  • Installation of easy-to-use hand sanitizers - Throughout Randolph Hospital there are hand sanitizers including outside every patient room and in main entrances to our facility.
  • Monitoring - An on-going program has been created to monitor staff and physician use of proper universal precautions.