Sustained Reduction in Bloodstream Infections in Infants at a Large Tertiary Care Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Next Steps for Health Care-Associated Infections in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

We discuss the burden of health care-associated infections (HAIs) in the neonatal ICU and the role of quality improvement (QI) in infection prevention and control. We examine specific QI opportunities and approaches to prevent HAIs caused by Staphylococcus aureus , multidrug-resistant gram-negative pathogens, Candida species, and respiratory viruses, and to prevent central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and surgical site infections. We explore the emerging recognition that many hospital-onset bacteremia episodes are not CLABSIs. Finally, we describe the core tenets of QI, including engagement with multidisciplinary teams and families, data transparency, accountability, and the impact of larger collaborative efforts to reduce HAIs.

Content validity of a Safe Nursing Care Checklist for a neonatal unit

BACKGROUND

Nursing checklists have been shown to improve communication, reduce the occurrence of adverse events, and promote safe, quality care in different care settings. However, to date, there is no validated patient care safety checklist for nurses caring for infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU).

AIM

To describe development and content validation of the "Safe Nursing Care Checklist for Infants Hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit".

STUDY DESIGN

Online Survey.

METHODS

Based upon an integrative literature review, we developed a checklist focused on safe nursing care for infants in the NICU. Nursing experts participated in three rounds of a content validation process where they rated the items online. An agreement level ≥0.90 was required for inclusion in the checklist. Forty- three expert nurses with experience working in the NICU and who were certified in neonatal nursing or had a master's or doctoratal degree in child health provided content validation of the patient care checklist.

RESULTS

The final checklist contained 45 items with content validation index scores greater than 90%. The instrument was structured into six dimensions including patient identification, effective communication, medication safety, infection prevention, fall prevention, and pressure injuries/skin injuries prevention.

CONCLUSION

Content validity was established for the "Safe Nursing Care Checklist for Infants Hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit" which can identify strengths and weaknesses in safe nursing care for infants in the NICU as well as direct educational interventions to promote nursing care based on scientific evidence.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This checklist can potentially be used by bedside nurses to promote provision of safe care to infants in the NICU and to guide corrective strategies and encourage evidence-based decision-making. Validation in the clinical setting is needed.

Acute Kidney Injury in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: A Major Morbidity and Mortality Risk Factor

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants are at high risk of developing acute kidney injury (AKI), presumably secondary to low kidney reserves, stressful postnatal events, and drug exposures. Our study aimed to identify the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes associated with AKI in VLBW infants.

STUDY DESIGN

Records of all VLBW infants admitted to two medical campuses between January 2019 and June 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. AKI was classified using the modified KDIGO definition to include only serum creatinine. Risk factors and composite outcomes were compared between infants with and without AKI. We evaluated the main predictors of AKI and death with forward stepwise regression analysis.

RESULTS

152 VLBW infants were enrolled. 21% of them developed AKI. Based on the multivariable analysis, the most significant predictors of AKI were the use of vasopressors, patent ductus arteriosus, and bloodstream infection. AKI had a strong and independent association with neonatal mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

AKI is common in VLBW infants and is a significant risk factor for mortality. Efforts to prevent AKI are necessary to prevent its harmful effects.

Bundle para manuseio do cateter central de inserção periférica em neonatos

Resumo Objetivo Construir um bundle para prevenção de infecção primária da corrente sanguínea relacionada a cateter que contemple cuidados de enfermagem para manuseio do cateter de acesso venoso central por inserção periférica em neonatos. Métodos Pesquisa metodológica, desenvolvida no ano de 2017 em três etapas: levantamento bibliográfico, construção do instrumento e validação de conteúdo por cinco juízes. O instrumento para validação foi composto por 21 cuidados de enfermagem selecionados na primeira etapa. O índice de validade de conteúdo acima de 80% foi utilizado para avaliar a concordância entre os juízes, esta etapa foi realizada em uma única rodada. Resultados Dos 21 itens avaliados pelos juízes, dez foram excluídos por apresentarem índice de validade de conteúdo menor que 0,80 e três foram agrupados ao demais cuidados elencados. A versão final do bundle foi composta por oito itens. Os cuidados incluídos foram relacionados a higienização das mãos antes e após as manuseio, o uso de seringas com calibre adequado, troca e desinfecção das dânulas e dos conectores com álcool 70%, teste de permeabilidade e cuidados com curativos. Conclusão O estudo permitiu elaborar e validar junto a juízes um bundle para manuseio do cateter central de inserção periférica em neonatos com vistas a redução de infecção primária da corrente sanguínea relacionada ao cateter de acesso venoso central por inserção periférica.

Implementation of a Central Line Maintenance Bundle for Dislodgement and Infection Prevention in the NICU

BACKGROUND

Infants in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) often receive medications or nutritional support for extended periods. Due to the fragility of veins, central lines are often used. Adverse outcomes from central lines such as infections and line dislodgements, where the line terminates in a peripheral vessel rather than centrally, can drastically increase infant morbidity and mortality. Although evidence exists addressing the specialized needs of premature or smaller infants, there is far less evidence regarding infants that are larger, more physiologically complex, and have longer stays.

PURPOSE

Using evidence-based practice strategies, we examined the literature for central line maintenance practices specific to the NICU population and created a care maintenance bundle to reduce infection and line dislodgement rates. Furthermore, we examined implementation of this bundle.

METHODS/SEARCH STRATEGY

A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL provided evidence for a practice change for central line maintenance for our nontunneled central lines. During project implementation, infection and dislodgement rates for both tunneled and nontunneled lines were examined in order have a control and intervention group.

FINDINGS/RESULTS

Prior to central line maintenance bundle implementation, there were 19 total incidences of central line dislodgements and 5 central line infections (14 dislodgements and 4 infections were from nontunneled lines, 5 dislodgements and 1 infection from a tunneled line). Postintervention there were 1 total dislodgement and 4 central line infections (the dislodgement was from a nontunneled line and all infections were from tunneled lines).

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Although research has shown frequent, scheduled dressing changes using the chlorhexidine patch decreases infection rates, the risk of dislodgement and skin breakdown for NICU infants outweighs the potential benefit of decreased infection.

IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH

Further research is needed to determine whether this central line maintenance bundle would be beneficial for tunneled central lines.

Impact of central line bundle for prevention of umbilical catheter-related bloodstream infections in a neonatal intensive care unit: A pre-post intervention study

BACKGROUND

Central line-associated bloodstream infection is the most common infection associated with healthcare in preterm infants. The purpose of this 18-month cross-sectional study was to evaluate the effectiveness of bundle applications in the prevention of umbilical venous catheter (UVC)-associated bloodstream infections.

METHODS

This study included patients in whom UVCs were inserted and who were diagnosed with central line-associated bloodstream infection between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. During the second 9-month period of the study (April 1, 2017, to December 31, 2017), bundles were implemented.

RESULTS

In the prebundle period, 589 patients were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, and 6,769 hospitalization days and 485 UVC days were recorded. Similarly, during the bundle period, 508 patients were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, and 7,789 hospitalization days and 508 UVC days were recorded. The UVC-associated bloodstream infection rate was 12.4 per 1,000 catheter days in the prebundle period and decreased to 3.9 per 1,000 catheter days in the bundle period. Thus, after introducing bundle applications, the rate of infection decreased by 68% (P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that bundle application effectively reduced UVC-associated bloodstream infection.

Can We Optimize Antibiotic Use in Norwegian Neonates? A Prospective Comparison Between a University Hospital and a District Hospital

Background: Worldwide, a large proportion of neonates are prescribed antibiotics without having infections leading to increased antimicrobial resistance, disturbance of the evolving microbiota, and increasing the risk of various chronical diseases. Comparing practice between different hospitals/settings is important in order to optimize antibiotic stewardship. Aim: To investigate and compare the potential for improved antibiotic stewardship in neonates in two Norwegian hospitals with different academic culture, with emphasis on antibiotic exposure in unconfirmed infections, treatment length/doses, CRP values and the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics (BSA). All types of infections were investigated, but the main focus was on early-onset sepsis (EOS). Methods: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of antibiotic use in a Norwegian university hospital (UH) and a district hospital (DH), 2017. Unconfirmed infections were defined as culture negative infections that neither fulfilled the criteria for clinical infection (clinical symptoms, maximum CRP >30 mg/L, and treatment for at least 5 days). Results: Ninety-five neonates at the DH and 89 neonates at the UH treated with systemic antibiotics were included in the study. In total, 685 prescriptions (daily doses) of antibiotics were given at the DH and 903 at the UH. Among term and premature infants (≥ 28 weeks), 82% (75% at the UH and 86% at the DH, p = 0.172) of the treatments for suspected EOS were for unconfirmed infections, and average treatment length in unconfirmed infections was 3.1 days (both hospitals). Median dose for aminoglycoside was higher for term infants at the UH (5.96, 95% CI 5.02-6.89) compared to the DH (4.98, 95% CI 4.82-5.14; p < 0.001). At the UH, all prescriptions with aminoglycosides were gentamicin, while tobramycin accounted for 93% of all prescriptions with aminoglycosides at the DH. Conclusion: There is a potential for reduction in both antibiotic exposure and treatment length in these two neonatal units, and a systematic risk/observational algorithm of sepsis should be considered in both hospitals. We revealed no major differences between the UH and DH, but doses and choice of aminoglycosides varied significantly.

Preventive bundles to reduce catheter-associated bloodstream infections in neonatal intensive care

This systematic survey includes a total of 27 studies published between 2002 and 2016 on the benefit of preventive bundles for the prevention of central-line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) in neonatal intensive care. These studies are mainly cohort studies or studies analyzing an interrupted time series before and after intervention. The studies showed heterogeneity in terms of endpoint definitions (CLABSI), details of the implemented measures, and evidence of a publication bias favoring the use of of preventive bundles. The cumulative analysis showed a statistically and clinically significant benefit of preventive bundles to avoid CLABSI in neonatal intensive care.

Central-Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections in Québec Intensive Care Units: Results from the Provincial Healthcare-Associated Infections Surveillance Program (SPIN)

BACKGROUND Following implementation of bundled practices in 2009 in Quebec and Canadian intensive care units (ICUs), we describe CLABSI epidemiology during the last 8 years in the province of Québec (Canada) and compare rates with Canadian and American benchmarks. METHODS CLABSI incidence rates (IRs) and central venous catheter utilization ratios (CVCURs) by year and ICU type were calculated using 2007-2014 data from the Surveillance Provinciale des Infections Nosocomiales (SPIN) program. Using American and Canadian surveillance data, we compared SPIN IRs to rates in other jurisdictions using standardized incidence ratios (SIRs). RESULTS In total, 1,355 lab-confirmed CLABSIs over 911,205 central venous catheter days (CVC days) were recorded. The overall pooled incidence rate (IR) was 1.49 cases per 1,000 CVC days. IRs for adult teaching ICUs, nonteaching ICUs, neonatal ICUs (NICUs), and pediatric ICUs (PICUs) were 1.04, 0.91, 4.20, and 2.15 cases per 1,000 CVC days, respectively. Using fixed SPIN 2007-2009 benchmarks, CLABSI rates had decreased significantly in all ICUs except for PICUs by 2014. Rates declined by 55% in adult teaching ICUs, 52% in adult nonteaching ICUs, and 38% in NICUs. Using dynamic American and Canadian CLABSI rates as benchmarks, SPIN adult teaching ICU rates were significantly lower and adult nonteaching ICUs had lower or comparable rates, whereas NICU and PICU rates were higher. CONCLUSION Québec ICU CLABSI surveillance shows declining CLABSI rates in adult ICUs. The absence of a decrease in CLABSI rate in NICUs and PICUs highlights the need for continued surveillance and analysis of factors contributing to higher rates in these populations. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1-9.

The Use and Effectiveness of Bundles for Prevention of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections in Neonates: A Review of the Literature

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are an important cause of increased morbidity, mortality, and costs in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients. In recent years, central line bundles have been developed and implemented as a means to reduce infection rates in intensive care units. The objective of this review was to describe central line bundles that are utilized in the neonatal population and evaluate the current evidence on the effectiveness of bundles for prevention of CLABSIs in the NICU. This review shows that care bundles have been successfully used in NICUs (as part of both single-site quality improvement initiatives and large multisite collaboratives) to decrease CLABSI rates. The individual components that comprise the bundle between individual studies varied, but all studies showed a significant reduction in CLABSI rates. The pre- and postintervention design employed by these studies does not allow for conclusions to be drawn as to what specific bundle components are most effective in reducing rates. Further research is needed both to examine the effectiveness of specific components or combinations of components in the bundle and to examine factors that are associated with implementation and adherence to bundles.

Improved survival and neurodevelopmental outcomes among extremely premature infants born near the limit of viability

BACKGROUND

Infants born near the limit of viability are at high risk for death or adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. It is unclear whether these outcomes have improved over the past 15 years.

AIM

To determine if death and neurodevelopmental impairment have declined over the past 15 years in infants born at 22 to 24 weeks' gestation.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SUBJECTS

We identified infants born at 22 to 24 weeks' gestation in our center in two epochs: 1998-2004 (Epoch 1) and 2005-2011 (Epoch 2).

OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome, death or neurodevelopmental impairment, was evaluated at 17-25 months' corrected gestational age with neurologic exams and Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Perinatal characteristics, major morbidities, and outcomes were compared between epochs.

RESULTS

Birth weight and gestational age were similar between 170 infants in Epoch 1 and 187 infants in Epoch 2. Mortality was significantly lower in Epoch 2, 55% vs. 42% (p=0.02). Among surviving infants, late-onset sepsis (p<0.01), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (p<0.01), and surgical necrotizing enterocolitis (p=0.04) were less common in Epoch 2. Neurodevelopmental impairment among surviving infants declined from 68% in Epoch 1 to 47% in Epoch 2, p=0.02. Odds of death or NDI were significantly lower in Epoch 2 vs. Epoch 1, OR=0.31 (95% confidence interval; 0.16, 0.58).

CONCLUSION

Risk of death or neurodevelopmental impairment decreased over time in infants born at 22 to 24 weeks' gestation.