ABSTRACT
Individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) are at an increased risk of infection and colonization. Frequent lengthy hospitalizations, invasive procedures, and skin breakdown contribute to this risk. Intermittent antibiotic use influences the emergence of antibiotic resistance in these organisms. As a result, there is risk of transmission of these antibiotic resistant organisms (ARO). This article describes the application of a continuous quality improvement model to evaluate ARO management strategies in a SCI unit. A conservative, labor intensive, crisis management approach to the control of ARO was replaced with a more cost effective prospective plan. The new strategies were aimed at control rather than eradication and included collaborative, multidisciplinary planning and improved resource utilization. Efforts have been successful and have resulted in the control of ARO.
