Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Concerning Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection Prevention Among ICU Nurses in China: A Multicenter, Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Globally, there has been a general decline in the occurrence of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI). Still, CLABSI remains a common healthcare-associated infection in the ICUs of hospitals in developing countries.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess knowledge, attitude and practice among ICU nurses in China concerning CLABSI prevention.

Study Design: A multicentre, cross-sectional study was designed. A self-designed questionnaire, informed by a literature review and expert consultation, was utilised to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of ICU nurses. The widely used electronic data collection tool in China, known as the Wen Juan Xing platform, facilitated data gathering via the internet. A total of 989 ICU nursing staff from 22 large tertiary public hospitals in China completed the online survey between 1 May 2024 and 30 June 2024.

Results: The proportion of ICU nurses with good (≥ 80% accurate response) knowledge, attitude and practice was 31.14%, 45.50% and 89.99%, respectively. ICU nurses' knowledge and attitude were mainly influenced by their age, ICU experience and professional level, meanwhile, their practice differences were found by their gender and educational level. In addition, nursing programs or processes, previous training experience and whether need more information were significantly associated with nurses' knowledge, attitude and practice.

Conclusions: In summary, Chinese ICU nurses demonstrated inadequate levels of knowledge and attitude towards CLABSI prevention. Study findings suggest that arranging training in refreshing, taking advantage of experienced nurses' leading roles and changing safety culture might be useful in enhancing ICU nurses' knowledge, attitude and practice.

Relevance To Clinical Practice: The results of this research imply that the government, nursing associations and hospitals themselves should provide tailored training programs, improve safety culture and explore dynamic assessment methods to promote optimal knowledge, attitude and practice relevant to CLABSI prevention among ICU nurses in China.