15th October 2014
Dunedin ICU Staff Celebrate Patient Safety Milestone
Staff at Dunedin Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) are celebrating 1,000 days with no Central Line Associated
Bacteraemia (CLAB). CLAB is a blood stream infection caused by central line catheters which can lead to longer hospital
stays and associated costs estimated to be between $20,000 and $54,000 (HQSC). Their prevention is vital in the fight
against healthcare associated infections and DHBs across the country are working to reduce the occurrence of CLAB.
ICU staff use standardised processes for inserting central lines. These standardised bundles are proven to significantly
reduce the risk of CLAB. The national health target for insertion is 90% and the Dunedin ICU has achieved consistently
above this target since the 2012 introduction.
The team at Dunedin ICU were treated to a shared cake and a big “Congratulations” today from Senior Staff, to mark the
achievement of an important patient safety milestone.
“This is an excellent achievement for the team, and reflects what we are seeing across the board at Southern in terms of
the continued improvement in patient safety outcomes through improved practices,” said Southern DHB Director of Quality,
Tina Gilbertson.
Southern DHB is expecting to have a series of organisational activities relating to patient safety over the next few
months, with National Patient Safety Week events planned, and also the coordinated roll out of a new regional electronic
risk management system currently underway at Southern DHB and across the South Island.
ENDS