Infection precautions with temporary pacing leads: a descriptive study.

OBJECTIVE

To describe infection precautions used by nurses when caring for patients with temporary epicardial and transvenous pacemakers.

DESIGN

Descriptive, nation-wide survey.

SETTING

All U.S. hospitals performing cardiac surgery.

RESPONDENTS

Nurse managers and clinical specialists from cardiac and thoracic intensive care, coronary care, and telemetry units at all U.S. hospitals performing cardiac surgery.

INTERVENTION

The Pacemaker Electrode Care and Safety Survey.

RESULTS

Responses came from 43% (388) of the 895 hospitals. Most respondents indicated that they wore gloves when handling electrodes (approximately 96%); usually the gloves were nonsterile (73%). A sterile procedure was often used to perform site care (37% for epicardial and 65% for transvenous). The most common agent used for site cleansing was povidone-iodine. Concern has been expressed in the literature about use of this agent. Gauze was the most common type of dressing (used by 60% for epicardial dressings and 31% for transvenous).

CONCLUSION

There is diversity in clinical practice. Further study is recommended to establish the safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of identified infection precautions.