Enhanced Protocol Reduced MRSA by 37 Percent

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released an enhanced protocol that provides instructions for implementing universal decolonization in adult intensive care units.

The protocol evolved from the REDUCE MRSA Trial (Randomized Evaluation of Decolonization vs. Universal Clearance to Eliminate Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) which deemed universal decolonization the most effective intervention for combating life-threatening infections in the ICU. During the trial, MRSA infections were reduced by 37 percent while all-cause bloodstream infections fell by 44 percent.

AHRQ’s new ICU decolonization protocol includes:

• Decision-making tools aimed at helping leaders decide if this strategy is appropriate for their facilities;
• Recommendations for gaining support for adoption of the strategy from key stakeholders;
• Descriptions of the roles played by physician and nurse champions;
• Training materials for front-line staff; and
• Protocol assessment tools.

To access the Universal ICU Decolonization Toolkit:  An Enhanced Protocol, click here.