Intravenous catheters are among the most utilized medical devices in health care, accounting for millions of insertions, maintenance, and access procedures, thereby increasing the risk for infection complications. Information regarding the prevalence and impact of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) raises concerns for patient safety and infection prevention efforts. Recent reports indicate that due to such factors as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Great Resignation of key health care personnel, CLABSI rates increased by 47%, and unfortunately, the incidence of infection associated with other intravascular catheters is unknown because surveillance for non-CLABSI events is not currently mandated under federal regulation. However, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed new rules that will require hospitals to conduct surveillance for all hospital-acquired bacteremia events regardless of medical device use, and thus hospitals will need to assess systems and internal protocols in preparation of pending CMS regulation. Surveillance and subsequent prevention of bacteremia associated with all intravascular catheters will require implementation of new strategies that encompass all strata of health care delivery: leadership support, introduction of a hospital onset bacteremia (HOB) model, diagnostic stewardship, new insights in catheter insertion, patient decolonization, expansion of vascular access teams, and introduction of advanced antimicrobial dressings. During this session, we will explore intravascular catheter use in the United States, CLABSI prevalence and prevention strategies, and new CMS reporting requirements and their implications on health care organizations.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:

• Discuss the main source the mechanism of development of catheter-related BSIs.
• Describe the impact of the Great Resignation and the COVID-19 pandemic on rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs).
• Discuss the pending national requirements on infection surveillance of all intravascular catheters.
• Evaluate the findings of recent studies on new strategies for the prevention of HOB-BSI.
• Explain the current CLABSI prevention bundle and the actions of chlorhexidine on microorganisms.

Contact Hours: 1
CRNI® RUs: 2