HAI Prevention - Healthcare Providers

 

What can hospitals do to prevent Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI)

1. Perform infection surveillance to detect infections and identify infection trends.

2. Educate physicians, nurses and other healthcare staff about guidelines and procedures related to the insertion and care of central lines.

3. Implement evidenced-based strategies to prevent central line-assoicated bloodstream infections. Strategies to consider include:

• Hand hygiene
• Maximal barrier precautions during insertion
• Chlorhexidine skin antisepsis
• Optimal catheter site selection, avoidance of femoral vein in adult patients
• On-going assessment of the necessity of a central line and prompt removal of unnecessary lines
• A procedural checklist

4. Provide feedback to hospital staff about infection rates; including administration, physicians, nurses and other direct care staff.

5. Provide support for infection prevention programs and initiatives. Ensure the implementation, monitoring, compliance and evaluation of prevention and control strategies.

 

Resources:

The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (http://www.shea-online.org/evidence-based-guidelines.cfm)

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (http://www.ihi.org/IHI/Programs/Campaign/CentralLineInfection.htm

US Department of Health and Human Services (http://www.hhs.gov/ophs/initiatives/hai/prevtargets.html)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/guidelines.html)

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Virginia Department of Health
Office of Epidemiology
109 Governor Street, Suite 516 East
Richmond, Virginia 23219

Contact us by Email

Phone: 804-864-8141 - Fax: 804-864-8139

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