use of a urinary catheter
use of a urinary catheter
The focus of my practice problem is Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI). And it is based in my local community hospital, in a 30-bed step-down unit. It is estimated that 35%-40% of all hospital-acquired infections are caused by CAUTI-related deaths annually in the United States and between 15%-25% of hospitalized patients receive short-term indwelling urinary catheters that often do not align with appropriate indications for insertion (Mundle & Jeffs, 2019). Urinary tract infections are the most common type of hospital-acquired infection reported. And among them, approximately seventy-five percent are associated with a urinary catheter. And most are preventable (CDC, 2016). After speaking with my preceptor Sarah. She informed me that CAUTI is an issue at the facility that the leadership team is actively working to address.
CAUTI causes increased morbidity, mortality. Prolonged hospitalization, and increases cost of care (CDC, 2016). Research indicates that as many as one-quarter of all hospitalized patients have an indwelling urinary catheter placed during their stay. And a significant portion of these are placed without appropriate indications (AHRQ, 2020). My preceptor and I discussed the occurrence of CAUTI at the facility. And the current measures that are in place for performance improvement. Sarah informed me that the facility will develop a team to review the evidence and infection rates. The team will develop an evidence-based approach to attain our goal of zero infections at the facility.
use of a urinary catheter
Furthermore, research has shown that the prolonged use of a urinary catheter presents the highest risk for developing CAUTI (CDC, 2016). I will be working closely with my preceptor and other staff members to better understand CAUTI risk factors and competency using evidence-based infection prevention guidelines, policies, and procedures. In addition, partnering with educators is necessary to facilitate, design, and implement educational tools and training for staff to strengthen their awareness, knowledge, and competency of infection control and prevention procedures. Promoting mindfulness in improvement activities throughout nursing by consistent communication of expectations, concerns, and outcomes in daily huddles and staff meetings. These quality improvement resources are easily accessible to all team members via the company intranet dashboard.
An interprofessional approach to reduce CAUTI is beneficial in reviewing data, performing a gap analysis, and implementing corrective and preventative action plans (Stancovici & Galvan-Anderson, 2019). Once staff knowledge has been assessed and areas that need improvement have been identified, the leadership team can begin to develop and revise continuous education on evidence-based practice, guidelines, and incorporate this into annual competencies and new hire orientations. To effectively address and resolve the problem of CAUTI, individuals from different levels of the organization must work together towards a common goal (Spath, 2018).
