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Our Heart is for Patient Safety

This Valentine’s Day, LewisGale Hospital Pulaski’s theme was Our Heart is for Patient Safety. On 2/14, the entire facility celebrated 10 years without a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI)! This success was the result of an enormous amount of teamwork. It involved physicians ordering and placing lines appropriately, nurses caring for the lines properly, and many ancillary departments doing their part. The team thanked Environmental Services for keeping the hospital clean, Supply Chain staff for ensuring necessary products are in stock and Interventional Radiology for carefully and consistently placing peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) lines. A robust interdisciplinary team discusses every device including the plan for removal. A major contributor to this success is a culture where all staff feel empowered to speak up when there is a patient concern.

Leading up to the celebration of CLABSI prevention, the Infection Preventionists most enjoyed time spent gathering photographs of staff and talking about their contributions to this special event. This momentous occasion was celebrated with banners, balloons, t-shirts and cake for all!  

-Becky McDonald, Infection Preventionist, LewisGale Hospital Pulaski