Nursing staff workload as a determinant of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus spread in an adult intensive therapy unit

Acquisition of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the in tensive care unit of a tertiary referral centre was monitored over a 19-mon th period. The incidence of new cases of MRSA correlated with peaks of nurs ing staff workload and times of reduced nurse/patient ratios within the uni t. This implies that nurse understaffing contributes significantly to the s pread of MRSA in an ITU setting. (C) 1999 The Hospital Infection Society.