Infection control and hospital epidemiology : the official journal of the Society of Hospital Epidemiologists of America
-
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Dec 2003
Multicenter StudyEffect of nurse staffing and antimicrobial-impregnated central venous catheters on the risk for bloodstream infections in intensive care units.
Defining risk factors for central venous catheter (CVC)-associated bloodstream infections (BSIs) is critical to establishing prevention measures, especially for factors such as nurse staffing and antimicrobial-impregnated CVCs. ⋯ Antimicrobial-impregnated CVCs reduced the risk of CVC-associated BSI by 66% in patients receiving TPN. Limiting the use of float nurses for ICU patients with CVCs and the use of PICCs may also reduce the risk of CVC-associated BSI.
-
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Dec 2003
Comparative StudyPrevalence of the use of central venous access devices within and outside of the intensive care unit: results of a survey among hospitals in the prevention epicenter program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To determine the prevalence of central venous catheter (CVC) use among patients both within and outside the ICU setting. ⋯ Current surveillance and infection control efforts to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with bloodstream infections concentrate on the high-risk ICU patients with CVCs. Our survey demonstrated that two-thirds of identified CVCs were not in ICU patients and suggests that more efforts should be directed to patients with CVCs who are outside the ICU.
-
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Dec 2003
Absence of excess mortality in critically ill patients with nosocomial Escherichia coli bacteremia.
To evaluate excess mortality in critically ill patients with Escherichia coli bacteremia after adjustment for severity of illness. ⋯ After adjustment for disease severity and acute illness and in the presence of adequate antibiotic therapy, no excess mortality was found in ICU patients with E. coli bacteremia.