Effective strategies for reducing the incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infections.
Various prevalence surveys have revealed high rates of catheter-related bloodstream infection, which can cause patients so much harm and are expensive to treat. Yet most of these infections can be prevented with good practice. To this end, national guidelines and initiatives have been introduced outlining the procedures that will reduce infection rates. However, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of recommendations. Care bundles were therefore created to identify the core group of procedures that must be adhered to in order to reduce infection rates. As a result, they have made it easier for health professionals to implement evidence-based practice. This article describes the care-bundle approach and how it has reduced infection rates. It also describes the latest recommendations on best practice, recently published in epic3, and outlines the issues staff and NHS organisations are likely to face when implementing them.
Jan
J
Hitchcock
D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic