Ms. Chien Yen Tan1, Ms. Yit Ngoh, Sharon Wong1, Dr Tong Yong Ng1
1Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
Biography:
Chien Yen, Nurse Clinician at Sengkang General Hospital's Infection Prevention and Control Department, brings a decade of experience to her role. Trained in infection prevention, she's a dedicated protector of patient safety. Leading Quality Improvement projects, she enhances infection control protocols. Actively engaged in research, she advances healthcare practices. Through meticulous guideline reviews, policy shaping, and thorough audits, Chien Yen ensures adherence to standards. Her commitment to improving healthcare shines through her multifaceted contributions, making her a trusted asset to the hospital's mission of excellence.
Abstract:
Background
In Singapore, Healthcare-Onset Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HO-MRSA) bacteremia in is one of the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) tracked by Ministry of Health for all acute care hospital. Guidelines on prevention and management of Hospital Acquired Infection (HAI) has also been established by MOH.
However, Sengkang General Hospital annual HO-MRSA bacteremia rate had been increasing since 2020 from average 0.16 per 10,000 inpatient days to 0.74 per 10,000 inpatient days in 2022, more than threefold increase in the HO-MRSA bacteremia rate.
Methods
Sengkang General Hospital implemented a multifaceted hospital-wide prevention program from 2020 till date. After COVID-19 pandemic, all focus were aimed at reduction of HO-MRSA infection rate in 2023. Interventions implemented include active surveillance screening, reduction of bioburden for all positive MRSA patients, active hand hygiene programme, post infection review using root cause analysis (RCA), nursing phlebitis safety champion, ward-based infection control champion (doctor, nurses and allied health practitioner), cleaning of high touch point twice per day, environmental audit and feed-backs to the care providers. Efficacy of the program was assessed by HO-MRSA bacteremia rates per 10,000 patient-days.
Results
After implementation of the care bundle, HO-MRSA bacteremia rate decreased from 0.74 per 10,000 inpatient days in 2022 to 0.24 per 10,000 inpatient days in 2023. Annual rates HO-MRSA bacteremia cases decreased by 67.6% from 2022 to 2023.
Conclusions
Reduction in HO-MRSA bacteremia is achievable through interprofessional collaboration and with the use of the multi-strategy approach.