Preventing catheter-associated infections in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: impact of an educational program surveying policies for insertion and care of central venous catheters in a Brazilian teaching hospital.

Objectives: To determine the impact of an educational program on the prevention of central venous catheter-related infections in a Brazilian Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Patients And Methods: All patients admitted to the unit between February 2004 and May 2005 were included in the cohort study in a longitudinal assessment. An educational program was developed based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for prevention of catheter-associated infections and was adapted to local conditions and resources after an initial observational phase.