Critical care

To improve the care of patients receiving critical care through the reliable application of care bundles

Through the reliable application of all aspects of the VAP and Central Line care bundles it has been shown that it is possible to eliminate harm through unintended infection in this most vulnerable group of patients.

A number of simple co-ordinated steps can be extremely powerful in enhancing the care provided in critical care.

How to
Case studies
Resources
Network

How to improve critical care of our patients

The goal of this intervention is to improve the care of patients receiving critical care through the reliable application of two care bundles. Each care bundle has a number of components.

These are shown in the diagram above.

Our 'How to' Guide for Reducing Harm in Critical Care is aimed at team members involved in implementing changes to reduce harm in critical care.

Alder Hey Children's Foundation Trust

Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is one example of a trust that has successfully adapted the Patient Safety First Critical Care intervention to particularly focus on reducing central line infections in children.

The Colchester General Hospital

Colchester General Hospital has targeted the ventilator care bundle in the Critical Care intervention which aims to reduce the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

York Teaching Hospitals

York Hospitals Foundation Trust has implemented the central line bundle, and seen a dramatic shift in attitude and improvement in relation to central line infections. A bundle is a series of evidence based procedures that, when all are complied with, reduce harm to patients.

University Hospitals of Leicester

Patient Safety First has helped us become much more aware of the way we reduce harm from treatment that we administer and we have already seen a difference. Since joining the campaign care bundle compliance has increased significantly to 95% in March 2009.

Resources

The 'How-to guide' and other resources available can be downloaded from here.

Title	Type	Size
'How to' guide for Reducing Harm in Critical Care	pdf	556kb
The Summary - Central Line Care Bundles	pdf	64kb
The Summary - Ventilator Care Bundles	pdf	67kb
Critical Care - references and bibliography	pdf	555kb

Critical care network

Click on the map below to find out which Trusts in your region are implementing the Critical Care intervention. If your Trust is implementing the Critical Care intervention and is not listed here, please contact us.

Uk Map