ABSTRACT
Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) caused by Staphylococcus aureus are among the most common infections encountered by emergency department (ED) physicians and nurse practitioners. Until recently, clinical management of such infections consisted of incision and drainage and antibiotic therapy. Of concern is the growing prevalence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus as the cause of SSTIs, thus requiring a change in clinical evaluation and management. In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued management guidelines, but research indicates a wide variation in how ED clinicians manage patients. This research project describes the prevalence and clinical management of SSTIs in a suburban hospital's ED.