Background: Catheter-associated bloodstream infections have been extensively studied in Intensive Care Unit Patients. However, less is known about the effect these infections have on non-ICU patients. This study attempted to elucidate the nature of the problem effecting non-ICU patients through descriptive analysis. Methods: Data were collected for all non-ICU patients with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections at Grady Memorial Hospital in 2006. Demographic and hospitalization information was collected. The hospital epidemiologist responsible for surveillance of infection control programs determined outcomes attributable to the S. aureus infections. Data were entered into an Excel spreadsheet and then imported into EpiInfo 2007. Results: There were 91 S. aureus bloodstream infections documented, 38 infections in non-ICU patients and 52 infections in ICU patients. The descriptive information we accumulated offered potentially important different points between patients with MSSA and MRSA. We found more MRSA infection than MSSA infection in both the non-ICU and ICU patients. Additionally, in both groups those with MRSA infection had a length of stay at least twice as long as patients with MSSA, longer time from admission to positive blood culture, and longer time from positive blood culture to discharge. The most common type of morbidity found was sepsis, which was also the most common morbidity found in those who died. Conclusions: Our hypothesis that non-ICU patients would have increased morbidity and mortality directly attributable to the CA-BSI with S. aureus was proven to be false. Although still an issue, the morbidity and mortality was not as different as we thought it would be. While our hypothesis was proven false, this research provides information that would be well served through further studies.