Short versus long axis ultrasound guided approach for internal jugular vein cannulations: A prospective randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Ultrasound-guided internal jugular vein cannulation is a standard procedure performed in ICUs worldwide. According to the guidelines, the short-axis approach is recommended over the long-axis approach for IJV cannulation. Double-operator cannulation is more convenient for the said procedure. However, the guidelines favor single-operator cannulation due to limited trials. We hypothesized that double-operator long-axis cannulation will be faster and have fewer complications than double-operator short-axis cannulation. METHODS: This was a prospective, randomized trial of patients who needed central venous catheterization in the intensive care unit. The eligible patients were randomized into two groups. In one group, the short-axis view by two operators was used for cannulation, and the long-axis view by 2 operators was used in the other group. The time elapsed from skin puncture to guide-wire insertion. RESULTS: The central venous catheter was placed by ultrasound guidance in all 100 patients. No significant differences were observed in the patient characteristics between the two groups. The mean time of insertion was 74.2 ±â€¯110.1 s with the short-axis approach compared with 70.3 ±â€¯97.3 s with the long-axis approach. The frequency of complications was also significantly lower with the long-axis approach. DISCUSSION: The long-axis view for IJV cannulation has similar insertion and procedure timings to the short-axis view. However, the complication rate and number of needle punctures required were less with the long-axis view than with those with the short-axis view.

Impact of Nursing Education on CLABSI Rates: An Experience from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Eastern India.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) have a higher incidence in the intensive care units of developing countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The baseline CLABSI rate in intensive care unit (ICU) was evaluated for 6 months. An educational program for nurses on basic hand hygiene steps was conducted. Objective assessment tests were done to assess their knowledge and percentage of non-compliance with hand hygiene practice. CLABSI rate over the post-intervention 6 month period was assessed. RESULTS: Thirty-four nurses were enrolled. The pre-intervention CLABSI rate was 12.5 per 1000 catheter days, pretest score 15.9 +/- 3.35 and 53.4% opportunities for hand hygiene were missed. Post workshop, there was significant (p=0.02) decrease in CLABSI rate i.e. 8.6, improvement in test score 17.76 +/- 2.1 (p=0.011) and missed opportunities decreased to 33.75%. 6 months post intervention, percentage of noncompliance with hand hygiene practice were 51.75% and test score was 17 ± 2. DISCUSSION: The effectiveness of educational program on hand hygiene compliance was reflected in the improvement of posttest score, reduced number of missed opportunities and reduction of CLABSI rates in ICU. The posttest scores and hand hygiene compliance, however, decreased 6 months post-intervention necessitating repeated feedbacks and reminders. CONCLUSION: Educational interventions on hand hygiene can have a significant impact in CLABSI control particularly in ICUs with a high infection rate and resource constraints. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Acharya Ranjita, Mishra SB, Ipsita S, Azim A. Impact of Nursing Education on CLABSI Rates: An Experience from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Eastern India. Indian J Crit Care Med 2019;23(7):316-319.