Needleless connector nursing care - Current practices, knowledge, and attitudes: An Australian perspective.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Infection Control
• Medical Device Management

Background:

• Inappropriate needleless connector (NC) care contributes to catheter occlusion and bloodstream infections (BSIs).
• Lack of knowledge regarding NC design and proper techniques (flushing, clamping, disconnection) is a key issue.
• Understanding nurses' practices and knowledge is crucial for improving patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess nurses' practice, knowledge, attitudes, and influencers for appropriate NC care in an Australian hospital.
• To compare findings with previous studies conducted in the United States.
• To identify areas for targeted education and intervention.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional online survey was distributed to approximately 1500 nurses at an Australian hospital in 2018.
• Anonymous survey data collected over 6 weeks.
• Statistical analysis performed using R software.

Main Results:

• A 19% response rate (n=283) was achieved.
• While 89% of nurses clean NCs before access, only 25% correctly identified negative pressure NCs.
• Accurate identification of clamping/disconnection sequences was low for both negative (79%) and positive (34%) displacement devices.

Conclusions:

• Significant gaps persist in nurses' knowledge of NC types and correct handling techniques.
• Senior nurses are identified as the primary influencers of adherence to best practice guidelines.
• Targeted education is needed to improve NC care and reduce associated complications.