The implementation of an infection control bundle within a Total Care Burns Unit

Area of Science:

• Infection Prevention and Control
• Public Health
• Pediatric Burn Care

Background:

• Burn patients face high infection risks, increasing morbidity and mortality.
• Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) pose a significant challenge in pediatric burn care.
• Effective infection control is crucial for improving patient outcomes in burns units.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a best-practice infection prevention and control (IPC) bundle.
• To evaluate the reduction in healthcare-associated burn wound infections (HA-BWIs) in a pediatric burns unit.
• To analyze the effect of the IPC bundle on other HAIs.

Main Methods:

• An interrupted time series design compared HA-BWIs before and after IPC bundle implementation.
• Prospective surveillance of HA-BWIs was conducted from 2012 to 2014.
• The IPC bundle was implemented in 2013, supplementing existing standard practices.

Main Results:

• Healthcare-associated burn wound infections decreased from 34 in 2012 to zero in 2014.
• Rates of pneumonia and sepsis also reduced to zero in 2013 and 2014.
• Urinary tract infections persisted, indicating an area for continued focus.

Conclusions:

• The IPC bundle effectively reduced HA-BWIs, pneumonia, and sepsis in the pediatric burns unit.
• The findings highlight the success of a multidisciplinary approach to infection control.
• Urinary tract infections remain a persistent challenge requiring further investigation and intervention.