The Impact of a Dedicated Nurse on the Prevention of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections in the NICU.

Background: The neonatal population is at increased risk for central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) related to prematurity, critical illness, and compromised immune function. METHODS: To address a 30 percent CLABSI rate increase, a quality improvement (QI) project in a Level IV NICU was developed and implemented by the NICU CLABSI team in 2018. The project trialed a dedicated CLABSI prevention-registered nurse (DCP-RN) role with select responsibilities aimed at rate reduction.