Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia checklist

• Suggest infectious diseases referral for all patients
   
• Repeat the blood culture BEFORE treatment if only 1 set positive
   
• Remove existing IV lines (especially PICCs and CVCs)
   
• Baseline ECG (looking for heart block), rheumatoid factor and MSU
   
• Surveillance blood culture done after 3 days effective antibiotics
   
• Echocardiogram on every patient; usually TTE but some patients need a TOE
   
• Get drugs and doses from Therapeutic Guidelines
   
• NOBODY gets less than 2 weeks IV treatment, anyone without a removable focus gets 4+

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