[Catheter-associated bloodstream infections: implementation of a new consensus protocol]

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Pediatric Critical Care
• Hospital Epidemiology

Context:

• Catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CA-BSIs) are a significant concern in pediatric intensive care units.
• Existing preventive measures may not be sufficient to control CA-BSI rates.
• Implementing standardized protocols is crucial for infection control.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a new consensus protocol in reducing CA-BSIs in pediatric patients.
• To assess compliance with the new protocol in pediatric and neonatal intensive care units.
• To determine the impact of the protocol on infection rates across different hospital settings.

Summary:

• A prospective study compared CA-BSI rates before and after implementing a new central venous catheter (CVC) protocol.
• Key protocol changes included hermetic connections, medication line labeling, and CVC date labeling.
• Compliance with the protocol was monitored using a checklist in intensive care units.

Impact:

• The new protocol led to a reduction in CA-BSI rates across pediatric and neonatal intensive care units, hematology-oncology, and general hospital wards.
• High compliance rates were observed for sealed connectors (>95%) and CVC labeling with insertion date (85%).
• The study underscores the importance of standardized protocols and epidemiological surveillance in managing nosocomial infections.