Free BCEN Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Practice Question

The major risk factor for acquiring VRE is prior exposure to vancomycin or other antimicrobials. This creates selective pressure that allows vancomycin-resistant strains of Enterococcus to proliferate, especially in healthcare environments where antibiotics are frequently used. Hospitalization, particularly in an intensive care unit where antibiotic use is high, is a well-known risk factor for VRE colonization. Exposure to someone with VRE is another risk factor, but it is the antibiotic exposure that provides the environment for the resistant strain to thrive. Environmental contamination and poor hand hygiene can contribute to the spread, but the key risk factor for 'acquisition' is antibiotic exposure.