Dunedin ICU Staff Celebrate Patient Safety Milestone

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

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