ARMC Infection Control Initiative Accepted to Two International Nursing Conferences

ARMC’s ICU service line developed this initiative to decrease foley catheter and central line utilization.

Colton, CA - Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC)’s Infection Control Initiative has been accepted for implementation by two prestigious international nursing conferences. The initiative will be featured at the 13^th World Nursing, Healthcare Management, and Patient Safety Conference in Los Angeles, California, as well as the 7^th Edition of the Nursing World Conference in Boston, Massachusetts.

“We are incredibly proud to have our Infection Control Initiative accepted by two conferences of this stature,” said ARMC Chief Nursing Officer Nanette Buenavidez, MSN/Ed,RN. “This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with members of our industry around the world and help to evolve the standards of patient care.”

The ICU service line at ARMC has embarked on an initiative of reducing the utilization of central line and urinary catheters to help decrease the incidence of health care associated infections. The strategy is powered by a comprehensive, five-pronged approach: revising the Charge Nurse Report Sheet, streamlining RN/manager rounds, enhancing communication via monthly data presentations, advancing staff education, and a unit incentive program for excellence in care.

Charge RNs and managers at ARMC have demonstrated commitment to this initiative by conducting detailed morning and afternoon rounds. Their objective is to assess device usage and identify candidates for possible discontinuation. “As an ICU manager for this team, I take immense pride in our accomplishments and commend the efforts of our nursing staff. Their active involvement in initiatives continues to be a critical factor in our collective success,” said Zorina Hernandez, RN, MICU Nurse Manager.

To bolster transparency and organization-wide awareness, the team shares these findings during unit and staff meetings, ensuring everyone is aligned and contributing to this patient care initiative. This endeavor emphasizes ARMC's dedication to not only providing superior health care services, but also redefining the efficiency and safety standards in the industry.

ARMC has attributed the initiative’s success to four key factors: creating a culture change that encouraged hospital staff to view catheter/line management as a collective responsibility, ensuring oversight and accountability from top-level management, taking a data-driven approach that consistently provided staff with up-to-date information about the initiative’s performance, and recognizing and rewarding units for their efforts.

“Ultimately, we’re working to improve patient safety not just at ARMC, but across our industry as a whole,” said Opal Dy, MSN, RN, CCRN, CMC, CSC, Clinical Nurse Specialist for ARMC’s Cardiac Surgery/Critical Care Units. “We’re very excited by what we’ve accomplished, and we’re already looking ahead to how we can continue to drive change in health care.”

About Arrowhead Regional Medical Center

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center is a 456-bed university-affiliated teaching hospital licensed by the State of California Department of Public Health, operated by San Bernardino County, and governed by the Board of Supervisors. It is ARMC’s mission, in an environment of learning and innovation, to serve our diverse community with high-quality, compassionate care. The hospital, located on a 70-acre campus in Colton, California, operates the Edward G. Hirschman Burn Center, a level I trauma center, a comprehensive stroke center, a behavioral health center, and five primary care centers. ARMC also provides more than 40 outpatient specialty care services. ARMC is helping to achieve the countywide vision by addressing the community’s wellness and educational needs. ARMC is the primary teaching hospital for the California University of Science and Medicine (CUSM). The University welcomed its first class of students in 2018. For more information on CUSM, visit https://www.cusm.org. For more information about ARMC, visit https://www.arrowheadregional.org.