Port Protectors: Helping to Reduce Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections 

Infection prevention in the hospital environment is both topical and paramount to improving standards for patient care.

Evidence to support the effectiveness of 3M™ Curos™ disinfecting port protectors is growing, with data further attesting to its benefits in helping to prevent central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI).

Results from studies and trials in both the UK and US demonstrate that using the passive disinfection technique with Curos disinfecting port protectors is significantly more effective in preventing bacteria entering the bloodstream via a central line.

The article, ‘Impact of Universal Disinfectant Cap Implementation on Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections’*, draws further attention to the positive impacts that Curos caps can have on both compliance as well as the cost-saving implications.

Some key points from the article:

• The rate of CLABSI infections decreased by >40% following implementation of the Curos disinfecting cap strip for needleless connectors (IRR = .557, P = .004)

• Weekly audits of compliance demonstrated that a 10% increase in nurse compliance resulted in a statistically significant 7% drop in infection rate.

• Curos cap strip use was associated with an estimated savings of almost $300,000 per year in the hospital studied.

*Katreena Collette Merrill RN, PhD, Sharon Sumner RN, BS, Lorraine Linford RN, BS,

CNSC, Carrie Taylor RN, MS, CIC, Christopher Macintosh RN, BS. American Journal of

Infection Control: Volume 40 Number 12; December 2014.

Check out our Aim at Zero page for further benefits of utilising Curos port protectors to prevent infection in a hospital environment:

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