Abstract
Mucositis, a significant mucosal barrier breakdown, is a major complication in pediatric bone marrow transplant that results from chemotherapy and radiation therapies. Increased infection rates, increased length of stay and increased readmission rates often occur in this population related to this serious issue. Mucosal barrier injury-laboratory confirmed blood stream infection (MBI-LCBI) rates have been steadily rising on a Midwestern pediatric bone marrow transplant unit with nine total cases in 2018 and seven cases in the first half of 2019 prior to the project. The unit had no standardized education on mucositis prevention for nursing staff or patients and families.|Recent research on this transplant complication highlights importance of staff education, diligent oral care rinses, vigilant assessments of oral mucosa by nursing staff and adequate pain management to combat the symptoms of mucositis. The implementation of evidence based interventions was completed on this pediatric blood and marrow transplant unit. Nursing staff was educated on mucositis care and infection prevention during annual competency day, patients and families were provided mucositis education, chart audits were completed prior to and following these interventions. The rate of infections were tracked throughout the implementation of the interventions. Nursing knowledge, based on pre and post education assessment comparisons, and chart audits were significantly improved. A marked decrease in incidence of infection was seen in this patient population following implementation of these key points in combating mucositis.