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The implementation of an infection control bundle within a Total Care Burns Unit
Tania Lorena Mcwilliams1, Di Twigg2, Joyce Hendricks3
1Perth Children's Hospital, Australia; Edith Cowan University, Australia; Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Australia.
Insights
Implementing an infection prevention and control bundle significantly reduced healthcare associated burn wound infections in a pediatric burns unit. This strategy also decreased pneumonia and sepsis rates, though urinary tract infections require further attention.
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.
Aim:
To evaluate the impact of the implementation of a best practice infection prevention and control bundle on healthcare associated burn wound infections in a paediatric burns unit.
Background:
Burn patients are vulnerable to infection. For this patient population, infection is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, thereby representing a significant challenge for burns clinicians who care for them.
Methods:
An interrupted time series was used to compare healthcare associated burn wound infections in paediatric burn patients before and after implementation of an infection prevention and control bundle. Prospective surveillance of healthcare associated burn wound infections was conducted from 2012 to 2014. Other potential healthcare associated infection rates were also reviewed over the study period, including urinary tract infections, pneumonia, upper respiratory tract infections and sepsis. An infection prevention and control bundle developed in collaboration between the paediatric burn unit and infection control clinicians was implemented in 2013 in addition to previous standard practice.
Results:
During the study period a total of 626 patients were admitted to the paediatric burns unit. Healthcare associated burn wound infections reduced from 34 in 2012 to 0 in 2014 following the implementation of the infection prevention and control bundle. Pneumonia and sepsis also reduced to 0 in 2013 and 2014, however one upper respiratory tract infection occurred in 2013 and urinary tract infections persisted in 2013.
Conclusion:
The implementation of an infection prevention and control bundle was effective in reducing healthcare associated burn wound infections, pneumonia and sepsis within our paediatric burns unit. Urinary tract infections remain a challenge for future improvement.
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