When it comes to infection control in vascular access, central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) certainly get the most attention. Yet the medical community is increasingly recognizing how infections associated with other types of vascular access devices are putting patients at risk.
Take peripheral IV (PIV) catheters, the most commonly used type of vascular access device. Nearly 90 percent of hospitalized patients require a PIV at some point during their stay, and PIV usage far outnumbers that of central vascular access devices (CVAD). PIVs, therefore, account for an infection rate that approaches the CVAD infection rate in absolute terms.
Yet there is currently no mandatory reporting system for bloodstream infections associated with PIVs in the U.S., making it one of the most underreported types of infections in vascular access. Epidemiologist Robert Garcia, an infection preventionist with 40 years of hospital experience, shares these concerns — and he has a plan to address this significant patient safety issue.
Continue reading “Is it Time to Move Beyond CLABSI?”