Central line associated bloodstream infections - Research Paper Example

It is essential that appropriate steps are taken by both the healthcare providers and the patient to assist in the prevention of such infections. Around 41,000 CLABSI happen within the United States hospitals every year. The central line- associated bloodstream infections are normally severe infections causing in a typical manner, a lengthening of stay in hospital and increased mortality risk as well as financial costs. Central line-bloodstream infections can be avoided by making use of proper techniques of insertion as well as through managing the central line in a proper manner.

CVC, or central venous catheters, render essential accession to the bloodstream; all the same, their insertion makes the patients prone to CLABSI. The phases of insertion of central venous catheters and its maintenance afterwards along with the central line-associated bloodstream infections prevention plans may pose a challenging situation to the infection prevention while conveying resources to the central venous catheter phase that is inducing sub-optimal rates of CLABSI. Bloodstream infections that are associated to catheter are linked with the substantially increased mortality, morbidity as well as expenditures.

These infections are a source of a severe threat to the patients within the intensive care units. In order to prevent central line-associated bloodstream infections, nurses, doctors and other health care professionals are required to follow the infection prevention guidelines provided by the Center for Disease Control in 2011. They are also needed to follow the recommended insertion techniques for the central line to avoid the risk of infection. The measures and guidelines provided by the CDC in 2011 are an effective way of preventing the occurrence of such infections.

Guidelines along with the care bundles also advocate arrangement of care modules on the basis of unit characteristics; incorporating empirical measures and resources; training and education to encourage broad implementation; and monitoring and auditing to make sure that staff is consistently following the advised procedural guidelines (Lu et al., 2012). The rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections in the ICUs of United States have been observed to decline dramatically in a few years as reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).

This remarkable success has been achieved by applying a multifaceted technique and focusing on the use of best evidence-based practices for insertion of central line. Moreover, it has been suggested by the recent research that an additional benefit can be reaped by applying best evidence-based practices for the maintenance of central line. A meta-analysis conducted recently affirms the exercise of CHG, or chlorhexidine gluconate bathing, within the population of ICU in order to prevent CLABSI (Miller & Maragakis, 2012).

Central line-associated bloodstream infections are regarded as a preventable problem of health care delivery. Moreover, due to the utilization of resources and the remarkable morbidity, central line-associated bloodstream infections conduct a traceable mortality within the range of 12 to 25 percent. The approximated cost is around $25,000 per infection. During the