A multimedia tool for infection prevention and control practices in the intensive care unit: a participatory interventional before-after study.

Background: Infection prevention and control (IPC) practices by critical care nurses are crucial in preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and central-line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI).

Aim: To implement an integrative approach to developing a set of IPC practices and disseminating information on the IPC practices through an educational multimedia tool to improve compliance with the practices.

Methods: This participatory interventional before-after study was conducted in a single tertiary care centre's cardiac surgical intensive care unit (ICU) from May 2022 to March 2023. Thirty-seven nursing IPC practices related to VAP and eight for CLABSI were finalized through a three-step process: systematized review, focused group discussions (five rounds), and Delphi rounds (three rounds). The IPC practices were disseminated through a multimedia tool, displayed continuously in the ICU. Nurses' compliance with the IPC practices observed directly was compared before and after implementing the multimedia tool.

Results: A total of 6043 observations for practices related to VAP and 1957 observations for those of CLABSI were performed. There was an increase in compliance post implementation for 11 IPC practices related to VAP and two IPC for those of CLABSI. There was an increase in compliance with practices relevant to chlorhexidine baths, oral care, cuff pressure maintenance, hypertonic saline nebulization, endotracheal suctioning, scrubbing the hub for central line access, and assessment of the central line for removal.

Conclusion: Through a participatory approach, we developed a set of IPC nursing practices for VAP and CLABSI. Implementing a multimedia tool, which encompasses the newly implemented IPC practices, improved compliance with many practices.