Addition of dedicated nursing team to help with catheter insertions can help reduce bloodstream infections in hospitals

A new report printed at the moment within the American Journal of An infection Management (AJIC) demonstrates that implementing a devoted workforce of nurses to help with central line insertions can scale back sufferers’ threat of growing bloodstream infections resulting from these central traces.

On this report, an infection preventionists at UNC Well being discovered that having this devoted workforce lowered the proportion of central line-associated bloodstream infections occurring inside seven days of line placement by 47% amongst sufferers included on this program.

Central traces, or central venous entry gadgets, are alternate options to plain IV traces used for hospitalized sufferers who’re critically sick or want long-term therapy. They’re extra invasive than IV traces and are related to an elevated threat of bloodstream infections; within the U.S., greater than 28,000 deaths yearly are attributed to such infections. Medical pointers provide particular protocols for making certain correct insertion of a central line, however an inner research of UNC Well being suppliers discovered that greater than 80% of insertions didn’t comply with all beneficial practices.

At UNC Well being in Chapel Hill, N.C., an infection preventionists and hospital management aimed to enhance affected person outcomes by establishing a specialised nursing workforce devoted to helping with central line insertions. The workforce was tasked with confirming compliance with a scientific guidelines, observing and enabling infection-prevention methods, and making certain the provision of wanted provides for the process.

To measure outcomes, they targeted on bloodstream infections occurring inside one week of line placement, as that is the time-frame wherein infections are most certainly to be associated to the insertion course of. Within the first three years of this system, the proportion of bloodstream infections related to central traces on this one-week timeframe decreased by 47% amongst sufferers whose line insertions had been supported by the specialised nursing workforce.

“Whereas earlier research demonstrated the effectiveness of getting devoted groups to carry out central line insertions, there was surprisingly little info accessible about the usage of specialised assist groups for this vital process,” stated Shelley Summerlin-Lengthy, MPH, MSW, BSN, RN, senior high quality enchancment chief within the Division of An infection Prevention at UNC Well being and the lead writer of this research.

“We had been keen to judge whether or not having a devoted nursing workforce to look at and help would make a distinction in affected person outcomes in our hospital. The lower of associated infections by 47% in the course of the workforce’s first three years is exceptional and affords clear validation of this strategy.”

The UNC Well being research was performed between February 2019 and March 2022. The specialised workforce of 4.5 full-time nurses supplied round the clock assist for central traces inserted on the bedside of grownup inpatients.

Outcomes present:

• After a ramp-up interval within the first 12 months of the initiative, the nursing workforce routinely assisted with 110 to 120 central line insertions per thirty days within the second and third years of this system.
• When this system started, a median of 60 central traces had been positioned every month with out an help request for the specialised workforce. By the third 12 months of this system, that quantity had decreased to 44 insertions per thirty days.
• Through the three-year interval, the general proportion of central line-associated bloodstream infections remained steady on the hospital. Inside that, the proportion of such infections amongst sufferers whose insertions had been assisted by the nursing workforce decreased from 19% earlier than program implementation to 10% in 12 months three, for an total discount of 47%.
• The workforce additionally performed audits of greater than 100 central traces every month and supplied teaching to frontline employees in 90% of instances.

“Reducing central line-associated bloodstream infections improves the standard of care and saves lives,” stated Patricia Jackson, RN, BSN, MA, CIC, FAPIC, 2023 APIC president. “The progressive strategy described on this research exhibits that including skilled observers to help with the position of central traces has large potential to cut back infections and stop hurt.”

Supplied by
Affiliation for Professionals in An infection Management