Empowering Caregivers: A Proactive Approach to Preventing CLABSI

Pediatric patients with central venous access devices are at increased risk for central-line-associated bloodstream infections due to their level of activity and lack of awareness of limitations. Caregivers of pediatric patients are typically the primary advocates for their children and often play a role in ensuring the completion of infection prevention strategies. This project aims to determine if dispersing an educational video to caregivers of hospitalized pediatric patients with central venous access devices can influence rates of central-line-associated bloodstream infections. This 2-month project was conducted on a nonprofit pediatric hospital's 46-bed hematology/oncology unit. Participants were English-speaking, over 18 years of age, and were the caregivers of a hospitalized patient with a central venous access device. Participants received a flyer with three QR codes. The participant then sequentially followed each link to participate in the pre-intervention test, watched a four-minute educational video, and then completed the post-intervention test. The outcomes assessed were central-line-associated bloodstream infection rates and caregiver knowledge of central venous access device care. A data review showed a 0.87 increase in the average scores on the caregiver knowledge tests. There was no change in the number of central-line-associated bloodstream infections. Pediatric patients with central venous access devices are at increased risk for central-line-associated bloodstream infections, and educating caregivers about central venous access device care can empower them to participate in infection prevention practices. Using a central venous access device educational video can increase caregiver knowledge.