Preventing Healthcare Acquired Infections: Staff Education is Crucial

May 24, 2020

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Unified Nursing Research, Midwifery & Women’s Health Journal
Volume 1, Issue 1, June 2020, Pages: 70-78
Received: Mar. 17, 2020; Accepted: Apr. 17, 2020; Published: Apr. 27, 2020

Authors: Veronica M. Hunter, USA

Abstract:

Introduction:

CAUTIs and CLABSIs are the two most common types of HAIs among hospitalized patients in the United States. These infections cause a significant increase in healthcare costs as well as increase length of hospital stays, critical care admissions, increased morbidity and increased mortality rates. Education of frontline nursing staff is a crucial component to promote better outcomes in patients with central lines and indwelling urinary catheters. Education of staff on care and maintenance of these devices increases compliance therefore prevents costly CLABSIs and CAUTIs. Participants were presented with educational information on urinary catheter and central line care, including a checklist for each. Participants utilized the checklists for two weeks and completed a survey at the end of the two weeks. The feedback provided from the participants yielded evidence of improved delivery of care and maintenance of central lines and urinary catheters. The feedback from this project concluded that education of frontline nursing staff is an effective method to increase staff awareness and compliance of prevention measures, therefore, improve care and maintenance of central lines and indwelling urinary catheters and decrease CLABSI and CAUTI rates.

Keywords: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections, healthcare-associated infections, evidence-based guidelines, infection prevention, central line care, indwelling urinary catheter care

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To citation of this article: Veronica M. Hunter, Preventing Healthcare Acquired Infections: Staff Education is Crucial, Unified Nursing Research, Midwifery & Women’s Health Journal

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