Details behind the dots: How different intensive care units used common and contrasting methods to prevent ventilator associated pneumonia.

Care bundles promote delivery of effective care and improve patient outcomes. The understanding of how to improve delivery of care bundles is incomplete. The Scottish Patient Safety Programme is a national collaborative with the aim of improving the delivery of care to patients in acute hospitals in Scotland. Critical care is one of five workstreams in the programme. A programme goal is to reduce incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) to zero or 300 calendar days between events through use of a VAP Prevention bundle. We studied two ICUs participating in this programme. Each ICU had established infection surveillance system prior to the programme starting. Both units had an appreciable incidence of VAP. Initial VAP prevention bundle adherence was low in each ICU (35% and 41%). Comparing time periods before and after 80% bundle VAP prevention bundle adherence was achieved showed a similar reduction in VAP incidence (from 6.9 to 1.0, and from 7.8 to 1.4/1000 ventilation days). When compared each ICU used common and contrasting approaches to accomplish this improvement. We describe the five improvement knowledge systems used to improve bundle adherence to bundle elements in each hospital. The insights gained from these front-line clinical teams can be used as a template for improvement efforts in a variety of other healthcare settings.

Elimination of central-venous-catheter-related bloodstream infections from the intensive care unit.

INTRODUCTION: Central-venous-catheter (CVC)-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) is a complication of intensive care stay which can have important adverse consequences for both patient and institution. There are a number of evidence-based interventions that reduce CRBSI, but it is recognised that consistently applying the best evidence every time is a challenge. METHODS: The authors set out to reduce CRBSI and introduced interventions in our intensive care unit (ICU) over a 4-year period using a quality improvement approach. In a setting supportive to change and improvement, the authors established infection surveillance and introduced bundles of care processes relating to insertion and maintenance of CVCs. The changes were supported by educational interventions. The authors measured care processes and outcomes, and used statistical process control charts to illustrate changes. The final 18 months of the work was performed in the context of a national safety improvement programme (The Scottish Patient Safety Programme). RESULTS: Following interventions, the annual CRBSI rate fell from 3.4 to 0/1000 patient days with zero episodes during the final 19 months of the study. CONCLUSIONS: The authors describe a significant reduction in CRBSI for the first time in a UK ICU. The authors summarised and simplified what to do, measured and provided feedback on outcomes, and improved expectations of performance standards for care processes. The authors believe that these approaches are worthy of serious consideration elsewhere.

Reduction of ventilator-associated pneumonia: active versus passive guideline implementation.

PURPOSE: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is associated with increased morbidity, mortality and costs. We describe an active, multifaceted implementation of a VAP prevention bundle designed to improve staff compliance with evidence-based actions and reduce the incidence of VAP. METHOD: A 'VAP prevention bundle' was designed then implemented, first passively, then actively, as defined by a multimodal programme incorporating staff education, process measurement and outcome measurement and feedback to staff and organisational change. RESULTS: Compliance with the VAP prevention bundle increased after active implementation. VAP incidence fell significantly from 19.2 to 7.5 per 1,000 ventilator days. Rate difference (99% CI) = 11.6 (2.3-21.0) per 1,000 ventilator days; rate ratio (99% CI) = 0.39 (0.16, 0.96). CONCLUSIONS: An active implementation programme increased staff compliance with evidence-based interventions and was associated with a significant reduction in VAP acquisition.