Deployment of nursing students to assist in CLABSI and CAUTI prevention bundle audits and interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic

Allyson Luva; Ann Mijares; Brandie Richards; Angelika Ashburn

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2023.08.003

Deployment of nursing students to assist in CLABSI and CAUTI prevention bundle audits and interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic

Am J Infect Control. 2024 Jan;52(1):129-132. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2023.08.003. Epub 2023 Aug 9.

Authors

Allyson Luva¹, Ann Mijares², Brandie Richards², Angelika Ashburn²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Infection Prevention, Department of Quality, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA; Loma Linda University School of Nursing, Loma Linda, CA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Infection Prevention, Department of Quality, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA; Loma Linda University School of Nursing, Loma Linda, CA.

PMID: 37567364
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2023.08.003

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated previously existing health care challenges related to hospital-acquired infections. Nursing students were deployed to augment staffing shortages and mitigate incidences of catheter-associated urinary tract infections and catheter-associated bloodstream infections. Nursing students' use as an adjunct to infection prevention measures facilitated success in sustaining low rates of catheter-associated bloodstream infections and catheter-associated urinary tract infections.

Keywords: CAUTI bundle; CLABSI bundle; Healthcare-associated infections; Infection prevention.

MeSH terms

COVID-19* / epidemiology
Catheter-Related Infections* / epidemiology
Catheter-Related Infections* / prevention & control
Cross Infection* / epidemiology
Cross Infection* / prevention & control
Humans
Pandemics / prevention & control
Sepsis* / epidemiology
Students, Nursing*
Urinary Tract Infections* / epidemiology
Urinary Tract Infections* / prevention & control