Central Line Infections (CLI)

WHAT IS A CENTRAL LINE INFECTION?

Patients may require a central line when blood, fluid replacement and/or nutrition is given intravenously. A Central Line-Associated Primary Bloodstream Infection (CLI) can occur when bacteria and/or fungi enters the blood stream, causing a patient to become sick. The bacteria can come from a variety of places (e.g., skin, wounds, environment, etc.), though it most often comes from the patient's skin.

WHAT IS BEING MEASURED?

total # of ICU-related bloodstream infections after 48 hours of central line placement X 1000

total # of central line days for ICU patients 18 years and older

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Safe and effective care is a top priority to ensure positive outcomes for patients at Temiskaming Hospital. We have a number of practices in place to help prevent and control infections such as:

•Implementing Safer Healthcare Now (www.saferhealthcarenow.ca) practices to prevent CLI infections.

•Providing comprehensive screening and surveillance of high-risk patients for infectious syndromes (e.g. diarrhea, meningitis, etc.) and antibiotic-resistant organisms (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA, Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci or VRE, C. difficile, etc.)

•Enhancing our Infection Prevention and Control Program policies and procedures.

•Actively promoting best practices in hand washing across the organization.

WHAT IS THE TARGET? 

Temiskaming Hospital aims to have no incidence of CLI.

HOW ARE WE DOING?

There was no incidence of CLI during the last quarter, between January and March 20164

To learn more about the Central Line Infection Rates, please visit Health Quality Ontario www.hqo.com .