Abstract
Background: Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) remain a significant problem across healthcare facilities nationwide. Inconsistent adherence to care and maintenance protocols by registered nurses for inpatients with central lines significantly hinders efforts to reduce CLABSIs. ICUs at the focus facility had the highest CLABSI rates among patients with PICC lines. This scholarly project aimed to determine whether frequent use of an audit tool to provide prompt feedback, compared with infrequent audits with delayed feedback, increased nurses’ adherence to care and maintenance bundles for PICCs over three months. This inquiry helped frame systematic literature searches to create the body of evidence.
Objective: Increase ICU nurse adherence to the central line care maintenance bundle for PICCs by 25% and decrease CLABSI rates by 10% through frequent audits and real-time feedback were the project goals.
Methods: A pretest-posttest design was used across four intensive care units (ICUs). Pre-test data from initial audits were compared with post-intervention results to assess task completion. Audit data were collected using Microsoft Forms, and the Chi-square test was used for data analysis.
Results: Following implementation, compliance with the care and maintenance bundle improved, evidenced by a reduction in audited fallouts from a pre-intervention mean of M=0.75 to a post-intervention mean of M=0.38. A Chi-square test showed this change was statistically significant, with P< .001.
Conclusions: This project demonstrates that regular audits combined with prompt feedback improved adherence to PICC line care and maintenance protocols and helped promote the reduction of CLABSIs. With leadership support and staff accountability, this approach offers practical and sustainable benefits for nursing.
Date of publication
4-2026
Document Type
DNP Scholarly Project
Language
english
Persistent identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/5055
Committee members
Gina Nickels-Nelson, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, Committee Chair
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Recommended Citation
Ingram, Verita L., "DNP Final Report: USING AUDITS AND REAL-TIME FEEDBACK TO AFFECT ADHERENCE TO CARE AND MAINTENANCE PRACTICES OF CENTRAL LINES" (2026). DNP Final Reports. Paper 86.
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/5055
Included in
Bacterial Infections and Mycoses Commons, Critical Care Nursing Commons, Infectious Disease Commons, Nursing Administration Commons, Other Nursing Commons, Patient Safety Commons, Quality Improvement Commons