Pathway to success — the introduction of an integrated care pathway for delivery of care to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-positive patients

Abstract

ethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) continues to attract widespread media attention. M This article describes the identification of poor compliance with trust policy for the management of MRSA positive patients, and subsequent development, implementation and evaluation of an integrated care pathway (ICP) for the delivery of care to these patients. The effectiveness of the ICP and its impact on care delivery is discussed.

Keywords

MRSA Integrated Care Pathway policy compliance

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Dawson SJ (2003) Review: the role of the infection control link nurse. Journal of Hospital Infection 54(4): 251-7.

Duckworth GJ , Ayliffe Gaj , Buckles A. , Casewell MW , Cookson BD , Cox RA , French GL , Griffiths-Jones A. , Heathcock R. , Humphreys H. , Keane CT , Marples RR , Shanson DC , Slack R. , Tebbs E. (1998) Revised guidelines for the control of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in hospitals. Report of a combined working party of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, the Hospital Infection Society, the Infection Control Nurses Association Working Party. Journal of Hospital Infection 39: 253-90.

Gallant Mae H. , Beaulieu, Marcia C , Carnevale Franco A. (2002) Partnership: an analysis of the concept within the nurse-client relationship. Journal of Advanced Nursing 40(2): 49-157.

Health Protection Agency. (2005) Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia laboratory reports and methicillin susceptibility (voluntary reporting scheme): England and Wales, 1990 to 2004. See: www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/stapkylo/lab_data_staphyl.htm (accessed 2 June 2005).

Middleton S. , Barnett J. , Reeves D. (2003) What is an integrated care pathway? Evidence Based Medicine 3(3): 1-8.

Middleton S. , Roberts A. (2000) Integrated care pathways: a practical approach to implementation. Butterworth Heinemann: Oxford.

Reid J. ( 2004) Reducing MRSA bloodstream infections. CNO conference: Manchester, November 2004. See: www.dh.gov.uk/NewsHome/ConferenceAndEventReports/ConferenceReports/fs/en (accessed 18 April 2005).

Richards J. , French G. , Fry C. , Spencer R. , Richards J. , MacQueen S. (2003) Key indicators: report of a combined working group of the Hospital Infection Society, the Infection Control Nurses Association, the Department of Health. See: www.his.org.uk/_db/_documents/Key_Indicators_2002-2003_Jan_2004.doc (accessed 18 April 2005).