Infection rates are on the way down, but there is still a lot of work to do to achieve zero percent.
ConsumerReports.org reported in Feb 2013:
“The new CDC report focuses on three kinds of infections: central-line bloodstream infections in certain intensive-care units, infections following several kinds of surgery, and urinary-tract infections that stem from catheters. The CDC estimates that nearly 100,000 people die each year from those and other hospital-acquired infections, and together they cost the U.S. health care system as much as $45 billion annually.
Between 2008 and 2011, hospitals overall reduced all three infections, by 41 percent for central-line infections, 17 percent for surgical-site infections, and 7 percent for urinary-tract infections. Even more encouraging, at least 10 percent of hospitals in each of those categories reported zero infections.”
It is key that we are all caring and maintaining lines using evidence based protocols. Writing policies and procedures that list step by step instructions for care and maintenance, implementing evidenced based practice and having a Vascular Access team of skilled Nurses to educate staff, patients and families, is key to achieving this goal.
