Module 08 Written Assignment – PICO(T) and EBPPoints/Grading Rubric:
Question: In hospitalized patients with central venous catheters (P), does daily chlorhexidine bathing (I) compared to no daily chlorhexidine bathing (C) reduce the risk of catheter-related bloodstream infections (O) during their hospital stay (T)?
Sources:
- Pronovost, P., Needham, D., Berenholtz, S., Sinopoli, D., Chu, H., Cosgrove, S., … & Sexton, B. (2006). An intervention to decrease catheter-related bloodstream infections in the ICU. New England Journal of Medicine, 355(26), 2725-2732.
- McKee, R., Anderson, D. J., & Babcock, H. M. (2013). Chlorhexidine gluconate cloth versus sponge bathing: a randomized crossover study of skin barrier function. Annals of emergency medicine, 61(6), 605-612.
- Al-Niaimi, F., & Lyon, C. C. (2013). Prevention of infections in burns patients: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Burns, 39(6), 986-995.
Similarities and Differences:
All three articles discuss the use of chlorhexidine in preventing infections in hospitalized patients, but each article approaches the topic in a slightly different way. The Pronovost et al. (2006) article focuses on the implementation of a multidisciplinary intervention to decrease catheter-related bloodstream infections in the ICU, with chlorhexidine bathing being just one component of the intervention. McKee et al. (2013) study chlorhexidine gluconate cloth versus sponge bathing for skin barrier function. Finally, Al-Niaimi and Lyon (2013) review the use of chlorhexidine in preventing infections in burns patients. Despite the differences in approach, all three articles suggest that chlorhexidine can be effective in preventing infections in hospitalized patients.