Needleless connectors have been used in US healthcare facilities for well over a decade, and continue to be recognized portals of entry for microbial contamination that can lead to central line-associated bloodstream infections. And while the rate of these infections has fallen considerably since 2008, an estimated 30,000 infections continue to occur annually among hospitalized patients. Adoption of chlorhexidine gluconate/alcohol for needleless connector disinfection may well be key to reducing this rate of infection further.
Joan Hebden, RN, MS, CIC, FAPIC, an accomplished practitioner who served as the Director of Infection Prevention and Control for 28 years at the University of Maryland Medical Center, recently examined the findings of several clinical studies, the findings of which could significantly impact safety initiatives – moving beyond the current primary focus on the central line insertion process to address process measures associated with catheter maintenance. To learn more about her insights, click below for the full article.
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