Patient awareness of the risks of central venous catheters in the outpatient setting

Abstract

Bloodstream infection remains the most common life-threatening complication of central venous access. Central venous catheters (CVCs) are the most frequent cause of nosocomial bloodstream infection with 250,000 to 500,000 episodes occurring in the United States annually. In the last several years, widespread implementation of evidence-based interventions to prevent central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) in the intensive care unit has been undertaken with commensurate reduction in CLABSI rates. Nonetheless, CLABSI remains one of the most important life-threatening complications of central venous access. Patient education regarding CVC insertion and risk of CLABSI has been recommended, as outlined in the 2011 Patient Safety goals from the Joint Commission. However,data on patient education regarding CLABSI are scant. We undertook a survey to assess patients’ awareness of the risk and consequences of CLABSI at the University of Wisconsin hospital, a 592-bed acute care tertiary referral hospital.