"Nurse-The Archer" Fighting Against the Hidden Enemy

Area of Science:

• Infection Control
• Critical Care Nursing
• Healthcare-Associated Infections

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted healthcare systems, leading to challenges in critical care units.
• A rise in central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) was observed due to decreased bundle care compliance in COVID-19 patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the knowledge of frontline nurses in COVID critical care units regarding CLABSI bundle care.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of hands-on training in improving CLABSI bundle compliance and reducing infection rates.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative research approach with a quasi-experimental design was employed.
• 150 frontline COVID CCU nurses participated in the study, with pre- and post-test assessments of their knowledge on CLABSI bundle strategies.
• Hands-on training was provided to enhance adherence to CLABSI bundle care.

Main Results:

• Pre-test scores indicated that 57% of nurses had inadequate knowledge of the CLABSI bundle (Mean=12.6, SD=2.37).
• Post-test scores significantly improved to 80% (Mean=6.7, SD=2.28) after the training (t=22.06, p<0.00001).
• Compliance with CLABSI bundle care increased to 83% and showed an upward trend, leading to a reduction in preventable CLABSI rates.

Conclusions:

• Hands-on training is crucial for frontline nurses to improve adherence to CLABSI bundle care.
• Enhanced compliance with CLABSI bundle care effectively reduces preventable CLABSI rates in critically ill COVID-19 patients.
• Nurses play a vital role in preventing and controlling healthcare-associated infections, even amidst challenging circumstances.