MRSA-Caused Mortality Levels - Research Paper Example

However, the article does not report the variation of cases in different hospitals to highlight the need for intervention required in a particular hospital to rule out the cause and take steps to eradicate MRSA as done in the study carried out by Hardy et al (2007).

The article considered evidence-based research to highlight allocated resources to deal with MRSA and emphasize the decision of policymakers to adopt control measures, but the article does not state the control measures to be adopted in different hospital settings to check the spread of nosocomial spread of MRSA.

On the other hand, the study carried out by Hardy et al (2007) specifies the microbiological identification of patients followed by the isolation of such cases to prevent cross-infection together with the application of mupirocin and skin disinfectant to remove the chances of any carriage. The article emphasizes thorough screening and isolation. According to Hardy et al (2007), the interventions to control MRSA infection are poorly designed and include nurse cohorts in bays. The screening method that is suggested by Hardy et al (2007) directly implicates the molecular methods for the detection of MRSA such as multiplexed PCR primers to detect the presence of a gene (mecA).

The methodology adopted was based on estimated incidence, i.e. the number of hospitalized cases with S. aureus-related discharge. The Surveillance Network (TSN) Database- is an electronic repository of susceptibility tests utilized to test drug resistance patterns. However, the study highlights the NHDS report on the mortality of the patient but the reason for mortality was not specified. The report estimated only those mortality cases which were involved with MRSA.

On the contrary, a study carried out by Hardy et al (2007) was systematically planned involving socio-economic, ethnic as well as age characteristics. It involved seven surgical wards encompassing general surgery, vascular, thoracic, ENT, trauma, and orthopedic as well as urology. The study also had inclusion and exclusion criteria for the cases in contrast to the study carried out by Klein et al (2007) which does not have any exclusion criterion nor does the study involve a sampling procedure. On the other hand, a study carried out by Hardy et al (2007) involved nasal samples as they can be procured easily and have 84% sensitivity. The results procured were immediately conveyed to the staff of the concerned departments to have laboratory protocol and for patient information and communication. All these actions such as data collection, data analysis, sample size, economic analysis, and modeling were swiftly performed to control the infection. All these methods were lacking in the study carried out by Klein et al (2007).

According to Klein et al (2007), antimicrobial drug-resistant illnesses inflict larger costs as compared to susceptible infections caused for instance infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus Methicillin- sensitive indicating that MRSA enhances the cost. The total comparison of the study involved the number of patients as well as the cost. The study did not clarify the cause of infection was hospital-acquired or community-acquired. The study involved the TSN data which involved sampling from blood or lungs. Such studies do not provide complete quantitative data and directly affect the estimation of infections caused by MRSA. The conditions during the study were not constant to eliminate the variations caused due to environmental variables.

On the other hand, a study conducted by Hardy et al (2007), performed PCR testing to screen for MRSA in patients. Although expensive, when compared to the total cost incurred due to MRSA infection as well as the loss imposed due to mortality, the technique is cost-effective in the long run since it ensures the presence of causal organisms and helps the hospital authorities to take necessary action including the isolation of the patient. It is one of the best methods to screen the patient for MRSA and take immediate necessary action. The study carried out by Hardy et al, is well planned and systematic, and such studies make the authorities alert and direct them to take desired actions. Sampling is also very easy and any nursing staff can gain appropriate training to collect the sample for testing MRSA infection of the carrier. This kind of study segregates the patients right in the beginning and hence prevents the chances of hospital-acquired infections and also brings to notice the community-acquired infection and alerts the authorities about the prevalence of infection in a particular area or community.