Date of Graduation
Summer 8-14-2026
Document Access
Project/Capstone - Global access
Degree Name
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
College/School
School of Nursing and Health Professions
Program
MSN project
First Advisor
Dr. Mohamad El Najm
Abstract
Preventing hospital-onset bacteremia (HOB) is a healthcare priority given its association with increased morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and healthcare costs. Literature identifies inconsistent adherence to evidence-based practices for chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing and peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) maintenance as a modifiable risk factor for HOB. This quality improvement (QI) project evaluated whether implementing standardized nurse education, routine compliance audits, and performance feedback would improve adherence to evidence-based CHG bathing and PIVC maintenance practices. The project aimed to achieve at least 90% nursing compliance with HOB prevention practices over an intended 8-week implementation period. A pre-post quality improvement design was implemented across four adult medical-surgical units in a Southern California acute care hospital. The intervention targeted bedside registered nurses and included standardized education, visual reminders, CHG bathing reinforcement, PIVC maintenance education, and weekly audit-and-feedback. Due to Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval requirements, modifications to the project scope and an organizational shortage of CHG bathing supplies limited the implementation and data collection period to 3 weeks rather than the intended 8 weeks. During this period, 226 PIVC audits were completed, yielding 1,996 bundle-item observations, of which 1,805 were applicable, resulting in an overall bundle compliance of 67.9%. Higher compliance was observed for routine PIVC maintenance practices than for CHG bathing and documentation. These preliminary findings provide a foundation for ongoing QI, continuous monitoring, targeted reinforcement, and future evaluation of the intervention’s impact on HOB incidence.
Recommended Citation
Barikzai, Mohabat; Altamirano, Dinazar; Rivas, Edward; and Trilles, Sarah, "Improving Nursing Adherence to CHG Bathing and PIVC Maintenance Practices to Reduce Hospital-Onset Bacteremia in an Adult Medical-Surgical Unit" (2026). Master's Projects and Capstones. 2033.
https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/2033
