Not to long ago my old unit admitted a staff member for an emergency medical condition. That hospital did MRSA screening on all new admits and she turned up positive. She was placed in the isolation as per infection control recommendations. Fine, problem is that 24 hours before the woman was taking care of patients. This brings the question to mind as to why all staff are not screened routinely? I really think it is time for hospitals to face up to the fact that they are squirming out of doing a screening proceedure on staff that actually makes sense. Why do Tb test and hepatitis screens on new hires and yearly on exsisting staff and not do MRSA swabs? What reasons do they have for not doing it? I think they are running out of excuses on this one. Every time I have asked infection control people and managment people about it I have heard a lot of mumblings and no real answers.