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Administrative Procedures 0000 - System Guidance
Administrative Procedure 0416 - MRSA Awareness, Prevention and Treatment

Administrative Procedure 0416 - MRSA Awareness, Prevention and Treatment

I. Purpose

To provide direction throughout the school system regarding the prevention, awareness and treatment of MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) for student-athletes, their parents and/or guardians, coaches, custodial staff, administrators and other applicable school personnel.

II. Information

MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus) is a strain of staph bacteria that has developed a resistance to the most commonly used antibiotics. This rapidly progressing bacterium attacks the soft tissue of the skin and can become systemic by entering the blood stream, which endangers other soft tissues, joints and vital organs. MRSA is a potentially life threatening infection.

Most MRSA infections occur in people who have been in hospitals or other health care settings, such as nursing homes. When it occurs in these settings, it's known as health care-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA). The type of MRSA we see among athletes and healthy people is known as community-associated MRSA (CAMRSA). It often begins as a painful skin boil. At-risk athletic populations include, but are not limited to, wrestlers and football players or athletes who have close physical contact with other players.

It is spread by:

  • Having direct contact with another person’s infection ;
  • Sharing personal items, such as towels or razors, that have touched infected skin; OR
  • Touching surfaces or items, such as used bandages, contaminated with MRSA.

III. Definitions

The following definitions apply to the content of these procedures:

  1. MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus) is a strain of staph bacteria that has developed a resistance to the most commonly used antibiotics.
  2.  Licensed health care provider means a licensed physician or physician assistant, a licensed psychologist with specialty training in neuropsychology (neuropsychologist); or a licensed nurse practitioner.
  3.  Return to play means participation in a non-medically supervised practice or athletic competition after a period of exclusion.
  4. Student-athlete means a student participating in any try-out, practice or contest of a school team.
  5.  School personnel means those directly responsible for supervising or coaching interscholastic athletic programs within a school or county and those employees of the school or school system with overall responsibility for student-athletes’ academic performance and medical well-being.

IV. Procedures

The principal or his/her designee (typically the athletic director) shall require all athletic coaches to provide proof that they have received training in MRSA awareness and prevention. The following general procedures apply:

  1. Staff Training – The principal or his/her designee shall review the attached CDC MRSA Fact Sheet (Attachment 1) with all athletic coaches, physical education teachers, athletic director and custodial staff.
  2. Best Practices – All head coaches are to remind student athletes of the signs, symptoms and dangers of MRSA throughout the sports season and inquire individually as to any suspected signs or symptoms they may have.
  3. MRSA Awareness – The principal shall require the athletic director and/or the head coach to handout and review a copy of the CDC MRSA Fact Sheet (Attachment 1) to student athletes and parents/guardians.
  4. Academics –Appropriate academic accommodations shall be made for students who may miss time away from school.
  5. MRSA Prevention and Sanitation – all coaches, student athletes, parents/guardians, custodial staff and administrators are to receive a copy of the Defense Against MRSA Sheet (Attachment 2).

    In addition, all custodial staff and administrators are to receive a copy of the Cleaning and Disinfecting Athletic Facilities for MRSA sheet (Attachment 3).

V. Related Procedures

None.

VI. Maintenance and Update of These Procedures

These procedures originate with the Office of Interscholastic Athletics and will be updated as needed.

VII. Cancellations and Supersedures

None. This is a new Administrative Procedure.

VIII. Effective Date

September 8, 2017

About This Procedure

Revised: September 8, 2017

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