Say no to multi resistant organisms (MROs)

Fin​​alist for Harry Collins Award

Sout​h Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD)

In 2014, The Sutherland Hospital Department of Critical Care Medicine experienced an increased volume of Multi Resistance Organism (MRO) acquisitions, both methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin resistant enterococcus. Many of the acquisitions had similar genotypes which indicated that MROs were being transferred between patients. We identified that the volume of MRO acquisitions were due to:

• inadequate number of isolation rooms
• unit design (double bed-bays) and functional areas not conducive to management of MROs
• multiple bed moves to accommodate for staff allocation and changing patient acuity
• length of time to process test, leading to cohorting of patients with unknown MRO-status which increased the risk of transmission

In order to reduce acquisition rates and improve patient safety we implemented a multi-faceted project to address the issues identified.

The implementation of these strategies resulted in significant reduction in MRO acquisitions from 15.7 (above state benchmark of 2) to 1.3 per 1000 occupied bed days.​​​​​​