Infection control practices in cardiac transplant recipients

Infection is a common cause of morbidity and mortality among transplant recipients. Infection control measures lie within the realm of nursing interventions and involve large expenditures of resources. Because transplantation is such a new specialty, few standards exist. The research question for this study was What nursing interventions are being used to prevent infection in cardiac transplant recipients? A 156-item questionnaire was developed that included isolation procedures, dressings, invasive lines, medications, staffing, staff education, dress codes, unit design, visitation, infections, length of stay, survival, and other demographic data. Content validity was established by a panel of transplant experts. After local piloting, the tool was mailed to 120 cardiac transplant centers, and 68 were returned completed. Data were analyzed using descriptive and correlational statistics. Findings revealed wide diversity in practice. Older and larger transplant programs tended to use fewer precautions. Survival rates appeared unrelated to the number of precautions used.