Multidisciplinary Methods Used Prevent Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infections

Catheter related bloodstream infections are not only responsible for prolonged hospital stays and increased hospital costs, it is also responsible for increased mortality of the hospitalized patients. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017), an estimate of 30,100 central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) occur in intensive care units and wards of U.S. acute care facilities each year. CLABSI is a serious hospital-acquired infection that occurs when bacteria enters the bloodstream through central venous catheters. CLABSI is preventable as long as health-care personnel practice aseptic techniques when working with the catheter. A blood culture swabbed from the tip of the catheter is needed to confirm the

Central line associated blood stream infections (CLABSI) are serious problems that affect each hospital in the United States. While CLABSI rates have decreased, they have not been eradicated. The amount that CLABSI has decreased has slowed substantially, and CLABSI continues to affect negatively affect patients. With the use of middle-range nursing theories such as The Synergy Model, CLABSI rates can be decreased in hospitals everywhere.

Getting an infection from improper care during or after insertion of a central line is the last thing you want to get while in the hospital. This paper will discuss Kaiser Permanente’s policy on central venous catheter, also known as a central line, care and dressing change, and whether it follows the current evidence-based practice on preventing bloodstream infection in patients who have them inserted. I will explain about what a central line is, why evidence-based practice is important in the clinical setting, what Kaiser Permanente’s policy about central line care and dressing change is, if Kaiser is currently following evidence-based practice based on current articles about preventing central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), and what my role in using evidence-based practice is as a future registered nurse.

Article by Clancy (2009) explained central lines were a result of an estimated 250,000 blood stream infections and accounted for 30,000 to 62,000 patient deaths, then adding that each infection cost upwards of $36,000 and cumulatively add up to at least $9 billion in preventable costs annually. The article also explains how the mindset has changed from the cost of having a central line in place and expecting complications to lowering infection rates by an intentional interventional process/s. The article speaks of 5 basic steps to reduce CLABSI, hand washing, insertion techniques, skin cleansing, avoidance of certain sites and earlier removal of the CVC. Studies showed that these guidelines were only followed 62% of the time. The system was changed to ascertain that all the clinicians were in compliance. This prompted 5 interventions, education, a CVC insertion cart with all necessary equipment, physicians having to validate central line necessity, a concise checklist for bedside clinicians and the empower of nurses to stop procedures if guidelines were not followed. These low cost interventions from 11.3/1000 in catheter days in 1998 to zero in the fourth quarter of 2002.

One of the ways to combat the incidence of Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) is by following the proper steps in Central Line Dressing changes. The topic you picked is an important one, both for patients and our overall health care system as well. If nurses will learn, and follow the proper manner in the way Central Venous Lines should be changed it can have a positive outcome for patients. CLABSI can be fatal to the patient, this can devastate the patient's family as well. “Although a 46% decrease in CLABSIs has occurred in hospitals across the U.S. from 2008-2013, an estimated 30,100 central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) still occur in intensive care units and wards of U.S. acute care facilities each

The purpose of this initiative is to decrease and/or eliminate central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Aurora Bay Care Medical Center. Hospital acquired infections, including CLABSI, is a major cause of mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and extra costs for NICU patients (Stevens & Schulman, 2012). The goal of this initiative is to decrease CLABSI by 75% by reducing the number of days lines are in and standardizing the insertion process and line maintenance.

A literature review confirms that the CDC has noted that there was reduction by 50% Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI). The changes were witnessed between 2008 and 2014. Additionally, there was 13 percent reduction in incidences of MRSA bacteremia witnessed in 2011, and later in the year 2014. The implementation of the strategies and efforts from the ACA to reduce the incidence of HAIs has delivered a strong definitive prevention method or effort indicated by the ACA to lower the overall occurrence of HAIs (CDC, 2016).

A two-year program called On the CUSP: Stop BSI was formulated in 2008 to prevent CLABSIs in hospitals nationwide and was organized as a state or region-level collaborative with centralized education, data collection, and program management functions (AHRQ, 2012). More than 1,000 hospitals and 1,800 hospital units, representing a total of 44 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, participated in the program (AHRQ, 2012). The program structure included three main components: (1) a model to translate evidence into practice at the bedside to prevent CLABSIs; (2) the CUSP to improve the safety culture; and (3) a system to measure and report infection data (Sawyer et al., 2010). Results of the program revealed success in reducing CLABSIs nationwide by 41% from a baseline of 1.915 infections per 1,000 line days to a rate of 1.133 infections (AHRQ, 2012). With the nationwide success of the On the CUSP: Stop BSI program (AHRQ, 2012), the state of Hawaii embarked on their own study to determine if a national ICU collaborative to reduce CLABSIs would succeed in the state (Lin et al., 2012). The study, which began in January 2009 and ended in December 2010, included the CUSP, a multifaceted intervention approach to CLABSI prevention, and infection rate monitoring (Lin et al., 2012). Data was collected and reported from 20 ICUs representing 16 hospitals across the state (Lin et al., 2012). The results revealed the overall mean 9statewide CLABSI rates decreased 61% from 1.5 infections per 1,000 catheter days at baseline to 0.6 at 16 to 18 months post-implementation of the project, reinforcing the evidence that the On the CUSP: Stop BSI program can succeed in other states and substantially reduce CLABSI rates in hospitals (Lin et al., 2012). The success of the initial Hawaii study was the catalyst to conduct a second study in the state. This cohort study continued the national On the CUSP: Stop BSI program interventions, extended

Elimination of HAI’s are a top priority for many healthcare related organizations and as such, the reduction of certain types of HAIs have been achieved. On the national level, the HAI Progress Report states that there has been, “Au 46 percent decrease in central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) and a 19 percent decrease in select surgical site infections (SSIs) between 2008 and 2013” as well as “an 8 percent decrease in hospital-onset MRSA bacteremia and a 10 percent decrease in hospital-onset C. difficile infections between 2011 and 2013” (CDC, 2015).

Healthcare-associated infections from invasive medical devices are linked to high morbidity, mortality, and costs worldwide. Especially in central line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) or catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) and

Upon completion of this project I learned that many times patients were unaware of the compilations such as infection that may occur with central lines. This has taught me the importance of proving education to our patients in addition to staff members. Patients can help decrease central line associated blood stream infections by being aware of their surroundings and ensuring that nurses, physicians, and visitors take proper steps in decreasing infections rate. Implementing a policy to place alcohol infused caps on all central line that are not currently infusing is best practice back by evidence based practice to significantly decrease infection rates. This project as helped me identify evidence based practice and incorporate these practice in our daily care to help improve patient outcomes. The first couple of days there was not any patients within the intensive care unit with central line.

Central lines are often used or put in place in patients to prevent multiple IV access, administer fluids, medications, parenteral nutrition, blood products, and also for long term therapy treatments. Although, central lines are very useful for long term therapies, it can also result in infection if not properly cared for by healthcare providers and patients. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [(CDC)] (2012), central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) result in thousands of deaths each year and lead to increase costs to the U.S. healthcare system. Some of these bloodstream infections occur because central line catheters are not flushed properly, cleanse correctly, or dressed appropriately. The

Controlling infections in the hospital setting has been a major issue for hundreds of years. Patients have largely been effected by pathogens transferred from those appointed to care for them. Florence Nightingale became famous for changing the way we practice patient care. Her idea was simple yet powerful and it is still considered the standard worldwide. She promoted hand washing in order to reduce healthcare infections. Flash-forward a hundred years and we are now seeing infections increase through a different route. The CDC estimated about 31,100 central line associated blood stream infections occur each year (Control, 2015). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most commonly reported pathogens include coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus aureus, enterococci, and Candida. (Tavianini, Deacon, Negrete, & Salapka, 2014). Although central lines was not yet a technology created in healthcare, implementing the fundamental skills as emphasized by Nightingale

An intervention was done in a surgical intensive care unit to reduce the incidence of central line-associated bloodstream infections. The method of intervention was to create and utilize central line insertion and maintenance bundles. The hope, was that if all of the supplies needed were bundled together, then clinicians would use them appropriately. The maintenance kit included hand hygiene, catheter site dressing, hub care, and a daily review of the necessity of the line. The hub care consisted of 70% alcohol. Creation of the bundles, and training on how to use them, was done through the nurses and doctors on staff. There were regular in services held where nurses would teach how to utilize the kits. These

Nurses should also have patients demonstrate hand washing technique. Teaching patients about infusion therapy and how to avoid the risk of intravenous infection will help calm their fears and decrease their risks of obtaining an infection. Technology today can help by having patients either record a video of the steps on their smart phone or by writing the steps down. This can decrease patient’s anxiety and stress while increasing confidence. While this topic has been around for many years, both medical professionals and patients need to be educated and strict compliance needs to be followed in order to avoid intravenous and central line infections. Further research is needed in order to discover additional ways of decreasing intravenous and central line infections in the home