A peri-op nurse is assigned to care for a patient with MRSA. Which cleaning practice is anticipated to be required after the procedure?

A peri-op nurse is assigned to care for a patient with MRSA. Which cleaning practice is anticipated to be required after the procedure?

• A. Closing the Room for 28 Minutes to Allow for an Adequate Air Exchange
• B. Incinerating All Disposable Instruments
• C. Incorporating Enhanced Environmental Cleaning Procedures
• D. Incorporating Routine Environmental Cleaning Procedures

Answer: (C)

Environment plays a big role in stopping MRSA spread, since this organism is transmitted mainly by contact with contaminated surfaces. After care for a patient with MRSA, the room and equipment must undergo enhanced environmental cleaning. This means thoroughly disinfecting all surfaces—especially high-touch areas like bed rails, countertops, and medical devices—with an EPA-registered disinfectant proven effective against MRSA. Doing this between patients helps reduce the risk of transmission and protects the next person who uses the space. Closing the room for a fixed air-exchange period targets airborne pathogens, not MRSA, so that step isn’t the primary need here. Incinerating disposable instruments isn’t required or standard practice for MRSA. Routine environmental cleaning alone may not be sufficient to adequately remove MDRO contamination, hence the need for enhanced cleaning.

Environment plays a big role in stopping MRSA spread, since this organism is transmitted mainly by contact with contaminated surfaces. After care for a patient with MRSA, the room and equipment must undergo enhanced environmental cleaning. This means thoroughly disinfecting all surfaces—especially high-touch areas like bed rails, countertops, and medical devices—with an EPA-registered disinfectant proven effective against MRSA. Doing this between patients helps reduce the risk of transmission and protects the next person who uses the space.

Closing the room for a fixed air-exchange period targets airborne pathogens, not MRSA, so that step isn’t the primary need here. Incinerating disposable instruments isn’t required or standard practice for MRSA. Routine environmental cleaning alone may not be sufficient to adequately remove MDRO contamination, hence the need for enhanced cleaning.