Baptist Women’s NICU celebrates patient safety milestone

Baptist Women’s Hospital neonatal intensive care unit team members recently celebrated the unit’s 203rd day without a central line associated blood stream infection, a record for the NICU.

The NICU cites a regular staff meeting led by Virginia Shearer, staff RN, as one of the reasons for its success. During the meeting, which happens every six weeks, Virginia usually presents a short educational piece about NICUs and infection prevention. Then the staff reviews its current issues and processes and brainstorms innovative ways to engage staff.

Staff also focuses on the basics—hand hygiene, linen care and environmental cleanliness. They have also teamed with other departments such as facilities (who help with routine curtain changes), environmental services, respiratory, radiology, and the new pediatric surgery department. The date of the last CLABSI and blood stream infection not related to a central line are displayed in the unit for everyone ‒ staff, visitors, and families ‒ to see. Dr. Paul DePriest, Baptist’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, and Dr. Mark Swanson, Baptist’s vice president and chief medical officer, visited the unit to congratulate staff on their achievement.