Psychological ownership: Theoretical extensions, measurement, and relation to work outcomes
Is evidence based nursing education more effective than hand hygiene only in reducing the rate of central line-associated bloodstream infections in acute care setting in one month?
P: Acute care patients
I: Evidence based nursing education
C: Hand hygiene only
O: Reducing the rate of central line-associated bloodstream infections
T: One month
Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI)
The current study focuses on the effectiveness of evidence-based nursing education in reducing the rate of central line-associated bloodstream infections in an acute care setting. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015) reveal the importance of central venous catheters (CVCs) in supporting the treatment and management of life-threatening and critical illnesses. However, Marschall et al. (2014) associate the use of the catheters with another life-threatening issue, bloodstream infections, especially central-line associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI). Burden et al. (2012) add that the infections emanate from improper insertion or management of central venous catheters, which are responsible for high rates of mortality in acute care settings. According to Silow-Carroll and Edwards (2011), in 2009 alone, about 43,000 CLABSIs were reported in the United States, and one in every five infected individuals died as a result. Therefore, hospitals should implement evidence-based interventions to save lives and manage the cost associated with the infections.
Proper training for nurses, especially on how to handle central venous catheters is an effective approach in reducing the rate of CLABSI. Nurses participate in central line dressing and changing, revealing the importance of a program to promote their efficiency in using central venous catheters. Pérez-Granda, Guembe, Rincón, Muñoz, and Bouza (2015) reveal that educating nurses on venous line care reduces the rate of CLABSIs in intensive care units while decreasing the length of hospitalization and associated costs for individual patients and hospitals. Cicolini et al. (2014) support the evidence in a multicenter survey that highlighted the role of knowledge in healthcare providers in promoting evidence-based practice for improved patient outcomes. Hence, hospitals should use training and education as the means to achieve safe and quality health care to patients, especially in acute and intensive care settings.
The review of previous research shows consistency in training for nurses as a means to reduce CLABSI in hospitals. Hence, research promotes best practice in the prevention of CLABSI, which includes various strategies to ensure proper central line dressing and changing (Marschall et al., 2014). Some of the evidence-based strategies found effective in research include daily chlorhexidine bath, proper hand hygiene, correct central line dressing changes, utilization of alcohol-impregnated caps, and timely central line dressing and changing (Marschall et al., 2014). However, Burden et al. (2012) suggest the importance of addressing potential resistance to change since it might hinder the effectiveness of a training program and reduce the chances of preventing CLABSI in hospitals. Critically, nurses should support preventive programs to achieve positive results in healthcare settings regarding the reduction of hospital-acquired infections.
However, some studies have revealed inconsistencies regarding effectiveness of training in reducing CLABSI in acute and intensive care units. For instance, Burden et al. (2012) revealed ineptitude of training unless implementers use simulation. The researchers recommend the use of the model as well as normal training to achieve a more practical approach to the program. However, variations in research are based on diversity in research design (Cicolini et al., 2014; Gupta, Samra, Banerjee, & Sood., 2015). Generally, research proves the significance of training for nurses in reducing the rate of CLABSI in various hospital settings based on the need to achieve effective use of central venous catheters without the risk of infections (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). Therefore, effective implementation of an evidence-based intervention is critical to achieving the objective of preventing and reducing hospital-acquired infections.