Why is this measure important?

A central line or central venous catheter is a catheter (tube) that is passed through a vein that ends near the right atrium of the heart. Central lines are used to deliver medications and fluids to patients and to withdraw blood.

Infections are a risk in any hospitalization. When patients have central venous catheters, they are at higher risk for serious infections, especially if bacteria get into the bloodstream. It is important to take careful precautions to avoid introducing harmful bacteria into patients’ systems. Bloodstream infections are serious and can cause a patient to stay in the hospital for a longer time and can increase the risk of death. While not all central-line infections are preventable, our goal is to avoid preventable infections completely.

Inserting and monitoring central venous catheters using research-based techniques can decrease or eliminate the number of central-line associated bloodstream infections. Health care providers follow specific guidelines for insertion, such as using a sterile barrier, proper hand hygiene, chlorhexidine for skin disinfection, and avoidance of the femoral (groin) insertion site. Once the central line has been inserted, it is important for health care providers to monitor the insertion site, use recommended sterile techniques, and remove catheters when they are no longer needed.

Healthcare-associated bloodstream infection is a significant problem for infants admitted into neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). This is especially true for very low birth weight infants who are at high risk for infections due to their immature immune systems and need for invasive monitoring and supportive care.

What does this measure show?

This measure tracks the percent of healthcare-associated bloodstream infections in newborn babies in intensive care or other hospital units.

In this case a lower number is better.