An interview with Martin Kiernan: education, education, education!

IVupdate have published an interview with Martin Kiernan (our very own clinical director) by Andrew Jackson of IVTeam.com, which is well worth a listen. The interview covers Martin’s career (listen out for the words of wisdom from used car sales…), proudest moments, views on patient safety, and the importance of bundle implementation.

The focus of the interview is around bundles to reduce the risk of vascular line-associated infection. Chlorhexidine bathing is gaining increasing acceptance of as a key component of vascular-line associated infection prevention bundles, but it is only part of the picture. Whilst it could be said that the very existence of bundles represents an evidence gap, because we are often unclear which elements of the bundle are effective, one thing is certain: a bundle will not be effective if it’s not implemented correctly. And the way to ensure a bundle is implemented effectively? Education, education, education! Top down approaches do not work; front-line staff need to understand the importance of the issue, and believe in the bundle for it to be implemented in the busy healthcare setting.

If we get the implementation of bundles to prevent vascular line-associated infection right, we should begin to see reductions in line-associated infections due to MSSA and some contribution to the ambition to reduce E. coli and other Gram-negative BSIs.