Prevention of vascular catheter associated bloodstream infections
Claire Rickard1,2,3
1Herston Infectious Diseases Institute, Metro North Hospitals and HHS, Herston QLD
2The University of Queensland School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, UQCCR, Herston QLD
3Alliance for Vascular Access Teaching and Research, Menzies Health Institute Queensland and School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University.
It’s the ultimate irony that catheters inserted to treat infections (and other things) can themselves get infected! With more than 2 billion peripheral, central, arterial and venous catheters sold globally each year, many patients are at risk. Infection prevention is crucial at all stages of the catheter life cycle: the decision to insert a catheter, the insertion procedure, the maintenance/dwell phase, the decision to remove, and the removal procedure. Numerous clinical practice guidelines, Standards and policies exist to guide clinical decision making to prevent infections and new research is published each week. This presentation provides a review of core concepts as well as recently published findings in the infection prevention literature.
Biography:
Dr Claire Rickard is Conjoint Professor of Infection Prevention and Vascular Access Nursing at University of Queensland and Metro North Hospitals and Health service, and Honorary Research Fellow at Princess Alexandra Hospital.
Her vision is for complication-free vascular access devices and infusion therapy, across healthcare settings. She founded the Alliance for Vascular Access Teaching and Research (AVATAR) a clinician-academic network with >$14 million research funding, >250 publications and successful mentoring of the next generation of clinical research leaders.
Claire’s first-authored publications in The Lancet have seen global change from time-based, to assessment-based removal, of peripheral intravenous catheters, provided evidence for better dressings and securements, and extended the safe usage of infusion sets for central venous and arterial catheters.
She has been inducted/elected by the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame, Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, Australian College of Nursing and American Academy of Nursing.