Poster Title: Clean the screen: The nurse leader's role in decreasing healthcare-associated infections

Abstract

A Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in an urban pediatric hospital had an increase in healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in 2024. The Nursing Director identified 11 different HAIs from January to June including respiratory, bloodstream, and urinary tract infections. HAIs are considered a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and of the reported 1.7 million HAIs, 99,000 have led to death. The PICU had a need to decrease HAIs through various methods including observations of practices, education, policy review and process changes. It was found through observation that the use of personal cellphones for many patient related needs had increased. Staff were using the cellphones as flashlights, translation devices, and for communication with providers within a patient's room. Hand hygiene compliance was near 100 % but it was rarely observed that a cellphone was cleaned. Contamination of high touch surfaces can facilitate the transmission of microbes to other patients and healthcare workers. The unit Director posed whether the unit's lack of personal cellphone disinfection affected the units HAI rates. Electronic wipe cleaners were available but underutilized which is consistent with research that has shown that 96.7 % of the healthcare workers never disinfected their phones during their shift. Five cellphones were tested before and after cleaning for colony forming units (CFUs). The growth was monitored in the hospital's microbiology lab with a final read at the 7-day mark. On average, 80–90 CFUs were found precleaning, decreased to 0–20 CFUs post cleaning. Nursing Directors took this information to create a campaign of cleaning cellphones, workstations, and hands prior and during their shift. Cleaning stations were set up throughout the unit with signage for education. Calculators and flashlights were purchased for every patient room to decrease use of personal cellphones during direct patient care. HAI rates have decreased, and the program will expand to all inpatient areas.