68-11-269 - Comprehensive infection control program Admission or transfer of patients. - Tennessee Statutes

68-11-269. Comprehensive infection control program Admission or transfer of patients.

(a)  Health care facilities, as part of their infection control program, shall perform a local risk assessment for methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the facility. In those facilities where current interventions have not resulted in reduction in MRSA infections, implementation of a comprehensive program to reduce such infections should occur.

(b)  A health care facility's comprehensive infection control program may include, but is not limited to:

     (1)  Implementation of a hand hygiene education and monitoring program;

     (2)  The use of contact precautions for patients colonized or infected with MRSA;

     (3)  The effective cleaning of patient care equipment and the patients' environment;

     (4)  Consideration of use of active surveillance testing for high risk groups identified through a facility's local risk assessment to identify persons colonized with MRSA;

     (5)  Feedback of surveillance data to key stakeholders, including senior facility leadership, physicians, nursing staff and other clinicians;

     (6)  Education of healthcare personnel about epidemiologically significant organisms; and

     (7)  Education of patients and families about prevention of healthcare-associated infections.

(c)  Hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities should communicate MRSA status of patients transferred or admitted to other facilities; however, facilities should not delay the admission or transfer of patients colonized with MRSA.

[Acts 2008, ch. 999, § 1.]