Abstract
Today, an increasing number of patients are admitted to acute care hospitals for the management of chronic conditions such as anemias requiring frequent blood transfusions, end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis, gastroparesis requiring total parenteral nutrition (TPN), and cancers requiring chemotherapy. These conditions often require the use of central venous access devices (CVADs), or “central lines,” to manage treatment. As central line presence becomes more commonplace, nurses must remain competent in device care and infection prevention. Without timely and proper management, central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) can arise, posing serious and potentially fatal risks. CLABSIs are also considered Nursing Quality Sensitive Indicators, meaning they directly reflect the quality of nursing care provided. Therefore, the PICO(T) question aims to address this issue: In adult patients with a central line (P), is chlorhexidine (CHG) use (I) more effective when compared to non-CHG antiseptic products (C) in reducing CLABSI rates (O) during hospitalization (T)?