Identifying the Perceptions of Nurses Regarding Care and Management of Central Lines

Selchow, Joy Michelle

INTRODUCTION:

Every day nurses are asked to care for patients to the best of their ability and prevent harm. There are many different infections nurses try to prevent on a daily basis and one of them is central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). Nurses can help prevent CLABSIs through the care and management of central lines.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this study was to understand the nurse's perceptions of the care and management of central lines.

METHOD:

A simple descriptive design was used with nonprobability and snowball sampling. An anonymous and confidential survey was distributed to the inpatient nurses in the acute care, critical care and intravenous therapy departments at the research facility. The survey was made up of 19 questions consisting of 4 demographic, 7 likert scale and 8 true or false questions. There were 98 respondents.

RESULTS:

The nurse’s agreed and strongly agreed they received orientation as a new hire along with ongoing education and training around the care and management of central lines, 73% and 71%, respectably. As the literature stated education and training is key to reducing central line associated bloodstream infections. The perceptions of the actual standards from the true or false questions varied in agreeing and disagreeing with the literature. Overall there was a greater than 80% agreement with the nurse’s perception of the care and management of central lines when compared to the standard in the literature.

CONCLUSION:

Nurse education around care and management of central lines should be ongoing from new hire to new policy rollouts and updated policies. Evidence-based research to show the reason behind why a facility cares for and manages central lines should be available. Nurses learn in multiple ways from doing it, seeing it and hearing it thus multiple ways should be available when teaching. Ongoing follow-up of the nurses’ perception of the care and management of central lines is recommended.