Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-11-269: Comprehensive infection control program — Admission or transfer of patients.

(a) Health care facilities, as part of their infection control program, shall perform a local risk assessment for methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the facility. In those facilities where current interventions have not resulted in reduction in MRSA infections, implementation of a comprehensive program to reduce such infections should occur.

(b) A health care facility's comprehensive infection control program may include, but is not limited to:

(1) Implementation of a hand hygiene education and monitoring program;

(2) The use of contact precautions for patients colonized or infected with MRSA;

(3) The effective cleaning of patient care equipment and the patients' environment;

(4) Consideration of use of active surveillance testing for high risk groups identified through a facility's local risk assessment to identify persons colonized with MRSA;

(5) Feedback of surveillance data to key stakeholders, including senior facility leadership, physicians, nursing staff and other clinicians;

(6) Education of healthcare personnel about epidemiologically significant organisms; and

(7) Education of patients and families about prevention of healthcare-associated infections.

(c) Hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities should communicate MRSA status of patients transferred or admitted to other facilities; however, facilities should not delay the admission or transfer of patients colonized with MRSA.