Introduction:

safe healthcare practices encompass a set of evidence-based interventions designed to mitigate care-related risks and enhance patient safety.

Objective:

to determine the compliance with safe practices among the nursing staff of the Adult Intensive Care Unit to prevent bacteremia in critically ill patients with central venous access at the National Hospital during October 2024.

Methodology:

a non experimental, descriptive, quantitative study conducted in the Adult Intensive Care Unit of a public hospital, using a census sampling approach for a population of 274 nurses. A total of 183 licensed nurses participated, responding to an expert validated, paper based survey composed of closed ended questions assessing key dimensions of safe practices: insertion and maintenance of central venous access, and aseptic techniques.

Results:

an overall compliance rate of 16 % was observed, supported by specific strengths: adherence to aseptic techniques (100 %), adequate education for assistance in the insertion and maintenance of central venous access devices (91 %), and the effective use of protective barriers (90 %). However, 84 % of staff did not reach the compliance threshold, highlighting critical gaps in hand hygiene (19 %) and the appropriate use of chlorhexidine (38 %).

Conclusions:

the study identified a predominance of non-compliance with safe practices, revealing critical gaps between theoretical knowledge and its operational application. These findings constitute an essential starting point for designing and implementing continuous improvement strategies aimed at strengthening clinical competencies and ensuring sustainable standards of quality and patient safety.

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