Reducing the Risk of Targeted Multidrug-Resistant Organism Transmission

Abstract

Background

Preventing multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) transmission in inpatient settings remains challenging due to gaps in infection control practices which facilitate their transmission and compromise patient safety.

Purpose

This project evaluated the impact of implementing two Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines—Management of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms in Healthcare Settings and Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Setting—on time to initiation of transmission-based precautions (TBPs) for inpatients who were, or had a history of being, colonized or infected with one or more targeted MDROs.

Methods

Using a quantitative methodology and quasi-experimental design, pre- and post-implementation data were analyzed via independent samples t-test to assess TBPs initiation times.

Results

Implementation of the CDC guidelines significantly reduced TBPs initiation times by a mean of 16.32 hours (t (23.21) = 2.91, p = .008). This change reflects both statistical and clinical significance in reducing transmission risk.

Conclusions

The intervention had a positive impact on time to TBPs initiation. Translation of the CDC guidelines into nursing practice may facilitate timelier identification of patients with MDROs and reduce time to initiation of TBPs, thereby reducing the risk of transmission in the hospital setting.