| Summary: | Significance & Background: Central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) are common, ex-pensive, and deadly, particularly in high-risk immunocompromised oncology patients. Central venous catheter rounds are a common intervention in inpatient settings to promote CLABSI bundle compliance and staff education. In outpatient settings, patients and caregivers are important contributors to CLAB- SI prevention efforts. By ensuring evidence based practices are employed while empowering patients and caregivers to ensure safe and consistent care, the group can together strive to prevent risks for infection in ambulatory oncology patients with central lines. Purpose: Create and implement a patient and family centered, multidisciplinary rounding tool to facilitate learning surrounding central line care and maintenance in an outpatient clinic for stem cell transplant, cellular therapy, and hematologic malignancy patients. Interventions: A patient and family centered central line rounding tool was devised by nursing, hospital infection control, and a vascular access nurse specialist. The tool focuses on key CLABSI bundle metrics relevant to the outpatient setting including assessment, maintenance of a clean and dry insertion site, proper dressing placement and timely dressing changes. Patients and caregivers are included in the rounds to ensure understanding of proper maintenance at home and reportable conditions in which to alert health care professionals. Line rounds are conducted bi-weekly with representation from infection control, nursing, nursing management, vascular access nursing specialists, and patient care technicians. Results: Rounds have been conducted for eight months and continue to take place bi-weekly in this clinic. Data shows that central lines have clean, dry, intact dressings that are appropriately applied and maintained at 90% or greater compliance for seven of those months. It has been found that central line maintenance metrics improved following periods of lower maintenance compliance. This suggests that bedside feedback is increasing staff confidence and comfort with skills. Discussion: Due to the high risk for infection related to central lines in oncology patients, proper maintenance is imperative. Conducting regular, standardized safety rounds incorporates frequent and consistent education related to central line maintenance to patient care staff, patients, and their caregivers. Targeting frequent mistakes in maintenance such as improperly placed dressings, lifting dressings, and blood or drainage at the site allows the opportunity for tailored and individualized feedback.
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