title: Knowledge and practices regarding prevention of infections associated with central venous catheters: a survey of intensive care unit medical and nursing staff.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infections associated with central venous catheters (CVCs) are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a survey to evaluate the theoretical knowledge and practices of intensive care unit doctors and nursing staff regarding CVC-related infections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A questionnaire was distributed to 345 doctors and nurses. The response rate was 71.6%. Of the responders, 84.9% worked in public hospitals, 40% had been trained in CVC-related infection issues, and 27% were familiar with the relevant Centers of Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. The mean percentage of correct answers (± standard deviation) on the 3 parts of the questionnaire were 42.9% ± 16.2%, 86.9% ± 9.5%, and 85.4% ± 7.2%. In the subset of questions referring to procedures that were doctors' exclusive responsibility, 13.6% of the doctors answered all questions correctly. Age >37 years, awareness of relevant official guidelines, working in a private hospital, and being a doctor were identified as independent variables associated with high scores in knowledge regarding the prevention of CVC-related infections. Female sex and training in infection prevention were associated with higher scores on the part evaluating adherence to specific practices regarding CVC insertion, whereas being a nurse was associated with higher scores on the part evaluating CVC maintenance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that there is a need for increased theoretical knowledge and improvement in practices regarding CVC care. Educational programs directed at doctors and nurses working in intensive care units may aid this effort.
authors.affiliation: Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Athens, Greece, USA.
authors.forename: Ilias
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Koutzavekiaris
authors.forename: Evridiki K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Vouloumanou
authors.forename: Margitsa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gourni
authors.forename: Petros I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Rafailidis
authors.forename: Argyris
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michalopoulos
authors.forename: Matthew E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Falagas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000451:nursing* / Q000592:standards*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000592:standards*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires