MRSA riskier 'in NI's busy wards'

MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Overcrowding in Northern Ireland hospitals is leading to an increased risk of the potentially fatal infection MRSA, according to a new study.

It suggests half of NI's surgical wards have been exceeding the UK's overcrowding guidance limit.

It said half of NI's surgical wards examined between 2003-2004 had a percentage bed occupancy greater than the UK recommended limit of 82%.

All 11 medical facilities in NI Trusts had occupancy rates greater than 85%.

The University of Ulster study is published in the British Journal of Nursing.

It also found that the time between one patient leaving a bed and another patient using it may be as little as 72 minutes.

The study goes on to say that with waiting lists and waiting times being longer in Northern Ireland than in other part of the UK, the higher the level of bed occupancy means there is a higher risk of being infected by MRSA.

'Insufficient acute beds'

It makes recommendations for the examination of bed cleaning and space cleaning procedures especially, when time is limited.

The researchers say nurses, managers and trust boards "must address macro as well as micro issues in the control of hospital infection".

The authors said: "Our conclusions are that there are insufficient acute beds in NI and that there may be a link between turnover interval, percentage bed occupancy and rates of MRSA infection in acute trusts in NI."

MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, but is shorthand for any strain of Staphylococcus bacteria which is resistant to one or more conventional antibiotics.

It is more common in hospitals as sick patients are more vulnerable to picking up infections.

Also, conditions on wards, which involve lots of people living in close proximity, examined by doctors and nurses who have just touched other patients, are the perfect environment for the transmission of a variety of infections.