Eliminating CLABSI: Is stethoscope hygiene the missing piece?
*W. Frank Peacock, Kathleen Vollman, Cynthia Cadwell, Nicole Kupchik
1Baylor College of Medicine
2ADVANCING NURSING LLC
3Hawaii Pacific Health Medical Group, Cloudwell Health, Cadwell Consulting
4Nicole Kupchik Consulting, Inc.
Like the hands, the stethoscope serially touches many patients throughout the clinical day. But unlike hands, mandatory hygiene is rare and potentially ineffective. Even when cleaned with an alcohol swab for 60 seconds, cultures from the stethoscope diaphragm still will demonstrate pathogens in 28% of cases. Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) are a potentially fatal hospital associated infection (HAI), estimated to cause a >300% increase in death and result in multiple weeks longer hospitalization. These challenges persist, despite being standard prevention targets. Intensive efforts, such as total body washing with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) swabs, and intravenous line antiseptic barrier capping, decrease but do not eliminate the occurrence of CLABSI. In 2025, data from a 17 bed ICU study of an intervention that combined the combination of CHG intravenous line dressing and the use of touch free aseptic disposable single use stethoscope diaphragm covers, was reported. This combination strategy resulted in CLABSI rates that declined to 0%, and which were sustained at 0% for more than 1 year. Failing to provide a clean contact with the hands is potentially fatal for selected patients. It is likely that is the same for the stethoscope for which the addition of a aseptic barrier may save thousands of lives.
DOI: 10.29245/2689-9981/2025/4.1182 View / Download Pdf