Reducing central line catheter infections in bone marrow transplant patients

Infection can be detrimental in any patient, but it is life-threatening in the immunocompromised BMT patient. It was the nursing staff that first identified an increased rate of central line infections. Placing the CVC just prior to the conditioning regimen, on admission for BMT, as opposed to a 23-hour same-day admission, decreased infection rates significantly, from 50% to 16%. The final goal of a 0% infection rate, however, was not obtained without thorough patient education and consistent documentation of catheter care by the nursing staff. This study clearly supports the crucial role nurses have in decreasing infection rate in this patient population. As a result, it is possible to decrease the length of stay, decrease hospital costs, and ultimately decrease patient mortality rates.