NR451 Capstone Course Preventing Central Venous Catheter Infections

Preventing Central Venous Catheter-Related Infections
Name
Chamberlain College of Nursing
NR451 RN Capstone Course
Term and Year
Preventing Central Venous Catheter-Related Infections
Central venous catheters are essential tools used to assist patients in several ways. The most common function of a CVC is to administer intravenous medication during chemotherapy and antibiotics safely. CVC is also used for blood transfusion and dialysis among patient with renal problems. Catheters are effective because they allow patients to live a more optimal life outside the hospital. Despite the numerous benefits, the central venous catheters are the leading cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections (Denny, 2016).
Aseptic technique is commonly used to care for central line catheter and reduce the chances of contamination. The aseptic technique involves the hand hygiene using alcohol, betadine or chlorhexidine. The surrounding skin surface can influence the likelihood of infection that is why the skin surface needs to be disinfected with a solution (Denny, 2016). Several studies have proved that chlorhexidine bath can improve patient outcomes, this serves as evidence to nursing practice.
Poor nursing practices have adverse effects on patient health outcomes, causing a longer hospital stay. Staff education on adherence to aseptic technique and strict guideline are important to minimize blood stream infections. Implementing chlorhexidine baths will help reduce central-line associated bloodline infections will help reduce bloodline infection, but the outcome greatly depends on care practices by health care providers (Denny, 2016).
Overview of the ACE Star Model Evidence-Based Practice Process.
The ACE Star Model will be adopted during the implementation of the Aseptic technique to minimize nosocomial bloodstream infections. The ACE Star Model consist of five stages that depict various forms of knowledge in a sequence as research evidence moving from several cycles combined with the general knowledge that is integrated into practice (Aarons, Hurlburt & Horwitz, 2011).
The ACE Star Model offers a framework for putting evidence-based practices into operation. To use ACE star model in implementing chlorhexidine bath, the following phases will be carefully addressed as a requirement of the model. Discovery of research followed by summarizing the evidence, translation of evidence combined with guidelines into an intervention, integration of knowledge into clinical practice and evaluating the outcome (Aarons, Hurlburt & Horwitz, 2011).
Change Model Overview
Several preventive measures have been studied over time in an attempt to minimize infection incidence using catheters; however, the most effective measure that reduces colonization within the catheter skin insertion site or the infusion line (Climo et al., 2013). Studies suggest that implementing measures like chlorhexidine bath can improve patient outcomes, making an impact in nursing care and can serve as the best evidence of the nursing practice. Poor nursing practices are associated with longer hospital stay and increase mortality among hospitalized patients (Climo et al., 2013).
The Scope of the EBP
Use of central venous catheters forms part of modern medical practice whereby these devices are inserted to assist patients to cope with certain illness, CVC comes with greater risk of device-related infection than any other medical devices. CVC infections are the major causes of both mortality and morbidity among patients (Karki & Cheng, 2012). CVC are the main sources of bacteremia and septicemia among hospitalized patients. Organisms linked to Catheter-related bloodstream infections are commonly found on the skin within the insertion site, hence leading to colonization of the inserted catheter (Karki & Cheng, 2012).
Colonization of the tip of the intravenous catheter is common among ICU patients, hence can result in dangerous bacteria. Several measures have been implemented to minimize infection risks; certain precaution needs to be considered during catheter insertion and other preventive strategies that minimize microorganisms from the skin or the catheter hub from inhibiting the catheter (Karki & Cheng, 2012).
Stakeholders
To implement any change initiative, the hospital management including the care coordinators and nurse managers are they key individuals to be involved in the initial process of sensitization. Evidence will be presented in the management meeting to convince the relevant stakeholders on the need to use chlorhexidine bath can improve patient outcomes. It is important to get the approval of the relevant stakeholders to be involved in the direct implementation of the evidence-based practice (Aarons, Hurlburt & Horwitz, 2011).
Meeting the hospital administrators and nurse managers before meeting the entire nursing community is an important strategy of convincing the team why the initiative is important. Hospital administrators and nurse managers are responsible approving any new changes within the hospital. Meeting them in advance to analyze and discuss the findings before agreeing on the need to implement the proposed initiative (Aarons, Hurlburt & Horwitz, 2011). The involvement of nurses and other health care providers who offer bedside care is important to assess their readiness before embarking on the initiative. Educating nurses and other health care providers like clinicians will be a priority; therefore, the planning process needs to determine the availability of the necessary resource in readiness for implementation (Aarons, Hurlburt & Horwitz, 2011).
Supervisions and reviews will be done by nurse supervisors and nurse managers who are the key people during the implementation process. To measure the impact of the evidence-based practice, an evaluation officer will be helpful during the process. In most cases, the evaluation process will be done by analyzing records and existing policies to determine the levels of commitment by different stakeholders involved in the implementation process (Aarons, Hurlburt & Horwitz, 2011).
Evidence
Numerous respect studies support the implementation of chlorhexidine bath as a technique of washing intravenous ports to control central lines that are linked to bloodstream infection. Several respect studies have prov...