One such checklist or bundle at the IHI 5 Million Lives Campaign is to prevent central line infections. As Dr. Pronovost mentioned on the call, central lines are used to feed patients drugs, nutrients, and other important fluids. Because this catheter is a foreign object placed in the body, it is prone to infection, which is highly dangerous for the patient. Years ago, central line infections were thought to be an inevitable medical hazard. But, after careful study, a central line bundle was created to reduce and eliminate central line infections. This bundle includes things as simple as hand washing and maintaining a sterile environment. Click here to download Dr. Pronovost's Central Line Infection Checklist (the checklist is also available at www.ihi.org).
Several hospitals have quickly adopted such checklists and have achieved remarkable results. Below is a Youtube video celebrating the Johns Hopkins and Adventist Health System central line research initiative. This video just goes to show that checklists are not only useful, but can be fun too! Enjoy!
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