Prevenção da infecção do cateter de inserção periférica em unidade de terapia intensiva neonatal pela equipe de enfermagem

Abstract

This paper aims at analyzing how the prevention of hospital infection related to the peripheral insertion catheter (PICC) occurs in newborns in the Newborn Intensive Therapy Unit (UTIN). The methodological approach used was quantitative and exploratory, primordially constituted of bibliographical revision and the application of a questionnaire, the nursing team, and analysis of the obtained data. The period of data collection occurred in April, 2009. The data were analyzed through the grouping of similar questions and the ones which diverged from the analysis were carried out separately. The data treatment was performed with the utilization of the program Microsoft Excel. We opted for applying an instrument that assessed variables as: how long the professional has worked in the UTIN studied and his / her qualification, utilization and accessibility of the insertion protocol and the maintenance of the PICC in the unit, and topics connected to the prevention of hospital infection related to the catheter. Among the results, the one that calls our attention the most is unawareness, on the part of nurses, about the existence of protocol for insertion of the PICC, the lack of standardization of some actions related to the catheter, as the moment when the tip of the catheter must be sent to culture, and also the divergences between the clinical signs that a newborn may present in the suspicion of a hospital infection related to the catheter studied. The study has shown that the training of the nursing team must be improved regarding prevention of hospital infection, and update and disclose the protocol that describes the processes of implementation, maintenance and removal of the PICC so that we can have a standardization of the actions related to this gadget.