MRSA screening of nursing home residents admitted to hospital on the NSW Central Coast

Abstract

Nursing home facilities have been reported as reservoirs for organisms with multiple resistance, the primary one being methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In view of this, Central Coast public hospitals adopted a policy requiring screening of all nursing home residents for MRSA upon admission to hospital. This prospective cohort study was conducted to assess the need for this routine screening regimen. Admission screening of nursing home residents detected MRSA colonisation in 3 per cent of the final study group (n = 100). Residents who were receiving antibiotics at the time of admission or prescribed antibiotics within 48 hours of admission were excluded from the final results. The results influenced a change in policy; nursing home residents are no longer routinely screened on admission.