TITLE
Steps taken to eliminate central line-associated bloodstream infections in a hospital ward.
AUTHORS
Fred King, Adrian Margulies (who suggested "wash"), Layla Heimlich (who suggested "vanquished")
APOLOGIES
To James Whitcomb Riley
ABSTRACT
Little Annie Clabsi and her evil cousin C Diff visit a hospital and are vanquished by proper hand hygiene
IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEM
Little Annie Clabsi came into our ward one day.
To treat her cost one hundred grand; insurance wouldn't pay.
Bacteria were everywhere, she came in like a flood,
She dirtied up the central lines; she dirtied up the blood.
The patients on dialysis came down with clabsis too;
A careful blood analysis showed us data we would rue.
We didn't want her spreading to the hospital throughout,
But the clabsi's gonna getcha
if you
don't
wash
out!
Soon after Annie Clabsi introduced her evil cousin.
C Diff came in and spread--infected patients by the dozen.
He spread like wildfire and he put on quite a show
Of diarrhoea and the smell that all the nurses know.
We didn't want these visitors, we knew we had to change;
A clabsi-free environment we'd happily arrange.
We looked at all our practices that caused the germs to sprout,
Cuz the clabsi went and got us
cuz we
don't
wash
out!
REVIEW OF CURRENT PRACTICES
We wash our hands and then we put on gloves outside the door,
But gloves are not invincible, that's not what gloves are for.
We put our hands into our pockets, then we scratch our head,
And touch the dirty sheets that are upon the patient's bed.
No wonder that the samples that we drew came back a yes
We didn't keep a germ-free field, the blood was clean I'd guess.
Cuz gloves can get contaminated; germs are all about.
And the clabsi's gonna getcha
if you
don't
wash
out!
IMPLEMENTATION OF MODIFIED PROCEDURES
Now we wash our hands and put on gowns and gloves as well,
Replace the central lines on schedule--do not let them dwell.
Use caps infused with alcohol on all the IV ports.
And bleach and ultraviolet light from lanterns made of quartz.
Use sterile packs for TPN with gloves and wipes and more,
So we can feed our patients and keep clabsi off the floor.
Eschew contamination with attention quite devout.
Cuz the clabsi's gonna getcha
if you
don't
wash
out!
CONCLUSION
Now Little Annie Clabsi hasn't been here for a year,
And her evil cousin C Diff is no more a thing to fear.
But they could both come creeping back on some disastrous day
If we don't do all that we can to keep them both at bay.
Use sterile gloves and wash your hands with lots of soap and water
For central lines and TPN just like you know you oughter.
Don't touch stray objects with your gloves cuz germs are all about
And the clabsi's gonna getcha
if you
don't
wash
out!
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