Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI)

Vascular Access

Inserting a central line is a common procedure performed at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

A central line is a long, flexible catheter inserted into a vein and ending near the heart to provide medication, fluids, nutrients, or even to take blood samples. It is in place for an extended length of time, usually several weeks or more. The nursing staff is educated on the care of central lines and how to reduce potential complications. Our nurses and staff are committed to excellent central line care.

Caring for Your Child’s Central Line

While in the hospital, the nurses or vascular access team, will perform central line care. If you are going home with a centra line, our physicians, staff, and vascular access nurses will provide education about caring for the central line at home.

Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI)

What is a central line-associated bloodstream infection?

A central line-associated bloodstream infection, or CLABSI, is presence of bacteria in the bloodstream that may have been introduced through a central line device. It is diagnosed by sending a sample of the patient’s blood to the Microbiology Laboratory to be cultured. Symptoms of a CLABSI may include fever (or low body temperature for small infants).

How do we prevent CLABSIs at Children’s Hospital?

Here at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, we take precautions when inserting and caring for the line:

Insertion

• During insertion, staff wear a sterile gown, gloves, cap, and mask.
• Our vascular access nurses, ICU physicians, surgeons, advanced practice providers, and interventional radiologists are specially trained to insert central lines.

Care and Maintenance

• We typically change dressings every 7 days unless it is soiled, wet, or non-occlusive (loose).
• Every day, we discuss whether the central line is necessary. If it is no longer needed, we will remove it to decrease the chance of infection.
• We scrub all access ports with an alcohol swab prior to accessing the central line.
• We change the medication tubing and injection caps according to evidence-based practice.
• We use a chlorhexidine (CHG) gel or disc at the insertion site unless contraindicated.
• We place alcohol caps on the ends of the line and on all open ports to reduce the risk of contamination.
• We require daily bathing with chlorhexidine soap or wipes and daily linen changes unless otherwise contraindicated.