A multi-disciplinary approach to ANTT implementation: What you can achieve in 6 months

Abstract

Abstract Objectives To decrease the risk of health-care associated infections, Australian National Safety and Quality Standard (NS) 3.10: requires clinical staff to be trained in aseptic technique, regularly audited and action taken to increase compliance with aseptic technique. A baseline audit using a standardised observation tool of the metropolitan acute hospital's clinical staff yielded an extremely low compliance with aseptic technique. The objective of this program was to improve compliance with aseptic technique. Methods A Safety Quality and Practice Unit escalation report indicated the need for a permanent Aseptic Non-Touch Technique (ANTT®) clinical nurse position, affiliated with the Infection Management and Prevention Service (IMPS). This position utilised the ANTT® program developed by the Association for Safe Aseptic Practice in the United Kingdom. Over 6 months, all 1000 clinical staff were trained using a multi-faceted approach. The training based on issues identified in the pre-audit included diverse strategies of: identification of role modelling and peer teaching sessions for the senior staff; use of audience-response system, participation in junior and senior teaching programs, case studies of bacteraemias and indwelling catheter (IDC)-related infections; and unit specific practices. Intravenous cannulation for relevant staff; intravenous therapy for Registered Nurses and Radiographers; scrub, gowning and gloving for theatre staff, and open gloving for Physiotherapists. An IDC training video was produced entitled: ‘An IDC to Remember' demonstrates common breaches in aseptic technique. Results A post-training audit showed a 56% improvement in compliance with aseptic technique. Conclusion Through the implementation of the ANTT® clinical nurse role and a multi-modal training program utilising ANTT® principles, a significant increase in aseptic technique compliance has been achieved, decreasing the risk of health-care associated infections.