Page 24 - 2016 Nursing Annual Report | Summa Health

New Knowledge, Innovations
and Improvements

Promoting Evidence-
based Practices to
Battle CLABSI

Introduction
Central Line-associated Bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are a serious
threat to patient health. According to the Centers for Disease Control,
mortality rates for CLABSI events range from 12-25 percent. In the fall
of 2016, Summa Health made a commitment to reduce the number of
CLABSIs in its critical care and inpatient units system-wide.

Background Initiative

Barbara Leeder, BSN, RN, and Terry Rueckert, MBA, BSN, Leeder and Rueckert are self-proclaimed “vein geeks.”
RN, are Vascular Access Resource Nurses at Summa They arrived at the Akron Campus ready to put into
Health System – Barberton Campus. For 14 years, they practice several initiatives that they had used with great
have been inserting PICC lines, performing ultrasound success in Barberton. These activities included targeted
guided IVs, and working to reduce problems with central surveillance of central lines to monitor compliance with
lines. Thanks to their efforts, the Barberton Campus evidence-based practice protocols, education of clinical
experienced a significantly low CLABSI rate throughout staff nurses, identification of high-risk patients, and
2016. In fact, by the end of 2016, Summa Barberton had central line site dressing changes.
been CLABSI free for 550 days.
Both women were warmly welcomed on the various
Goal Statement units. “We were able to jump right in and just be more
of a presence, just like we had been at Barberton,” said
In the fall of 2016, Leeder and Rueckert were asked Leeder. “We made the nurses question things more, and
to evaluate central line management practices on the now when they see us coming they’ll immediately say,
Summa Health System – Akron Campus in an effort to ‘I’ve checked my lines, they’re good!’ It just takes a few
reduce CLABSI rates. Routine observations with near daily minutes at the beginning of your shift to make things right
rounding of central lines at the Akron Campus began in and the patient benefits.”
October 2016 and focused on the critical care areas.
Leeder and Rueckert also introduced new products to
help improve the adherence of the central line dressings,
which reduces the frequency of dressing changes and
lowers the risk of CLABSI. Rueckert said as improvements
were adopted, rounding got faster, and dressings adhered
longer.

“When you come in and everything is labeled and ready
to go, you can really focus on what you’re doing. I feel the
culture is shifting and everyone is responding very well,”
she said.

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