Dr Samuel Mathias1, Dr Renata Hadzic2,3, Ms Bhavna Brijball2, A/Prof Jennifer Stevens2,3
1 St Vincent’s Hospital, 390 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, 2 School of Medicine, University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, Australia, 3 School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, St Vincent’s Clinical Campus, Discipline of Critical Care, University of NSW, Sydney, Australia
Abstract:
“The beeping of the alarm is like water torture. They should be using it against Guantanamo terrorists.”
At St Vincent’s Hospital the rates of staph aureus blood stream infections (SABSIs) was breaching the NSW benchmark, with further investigation finding that there was also poor compliance to the clinical care standards for cannulation. This concerning trend led the St Vincent’s Anaesthetic Department to create change by implementing and leading a whole hospital approach with the aim to improve patient experiences of PIVCs. This project involved a multifaceted approach including VIP scoring audits, stock room and trolley rearrangement, initiating nurse cannulation and further education of junior doctors.
Alongside this we completed a patient experience audit relating to PIVCs that has revealed four commonly occurring themes in the patient experience;
- Discomfort and Inconvenience from Cannula Placement
- Impact of Alarms and Beeping
- Preference for Alternative Cannula Placement
- Securement of Cannulas
This qualitative and multifaceted project has had a significant impact with our going from high to no reported SABSIs for 2024, demonstrating the success of a hospital wide, multidisciplinary approach.