Health leaders on state-wide campaign to inform public, hospitals about reducing MRSA

JACKSON, Tenn. — West Tennessee Healthcare is participating in a state-wide initiative in conjunction with the Tennessee Department of Health and the Tennessee Hospital Association to reduce MRSA, a common skin bacteria.

Hospitals across the state are taking measures to reduce this form of bacteria.

Health experts were in Jackson on Tuesday to talk about reducing the number of bacteria on the skin to help prevent infections while hospitalized or when having surgery.

“MRSA is a bug that we have in our community. You can have it on your skin and it will not make you sick, until you have a procedure where maybe you have an IV or you have an incision and then that bug can get into your body and actually make you sick,” said Cynthia Cole, director of System Accreditation and Infection Control with West Tennessee Healthcare.

Leaders with West Tennessee healthcare say their “decolonization” process involves using a special antibacterial skin treatment and applying an antibacterial swab inside the nose, where this bacteria commonly lives.

Healthcare leaders say their goal of their campaign is to inform the public to help reduce this type of infection.