Studies Show Great Variation in Contact Precautions

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends placement of patients with a history of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and/or vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) colonization on contact precautions (CP). However, without national guidelines to advise on if or when contact precautions should may be discontinued, hospitals are left to determine for themselves when to remove patients from isolation, if at all.