New success stories are being published every month on how to reduce the burden of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI).
The vast majority of studies share successful results from prevention programs and show a significant CAUTI reduction of 9% per year or even higher depending on the method used. The most important part of the solution is to restrict the use of indwelling catheters.
One study from an American hospital shows that indwelling catheter use declined by 35% as a result of targeting this problem. Part of the solution was to empower nurses to choose bladder scanners in combination with intermittent catheterization on demand to manage cases of urinary retention, instead of routinely inserting an indwelling catheter.
These successful reports are good news for the future as fighting CAUTI and reducing this common infection is key to overcoming the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
National trends in the frequency of bladder catheterization and physician-diagnosed catheterassociated urinary tract infections: Results from the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28625702
Author and Origin
Metersky ML, Eldridge N, Wang Y, Mortensen EM, Meddings J. US
Summary
Observational retrospective study of bladder catheterization frequency and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) frequency in hospitalized patients between 2009 and 2014 in the US.
Conclusions
Data suggests that adjusted CAUTI frequency declines with decreasing bladder catheterization frequency. For some patient groups the decline in CAUTI rates was about 9% per year.
Comments
Study indicating promising results from targeted CAUTI prevention programs.
Decreasing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit: One Unit’s Success.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28572100
Author and Origin
Richards B, Sebastian B, Sullivan H, Reyes R, D’Agostino JF, Hagerty T. US
Summary
Observational retrospective study investigating the impact of implementing strategies to combat catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) in a neurological intensive care unit.
Conclusions
The number of CAUTIs reduced from 40 events in 2012 to 15 events in 2014. The implementation of nurse-led CAUTI prevention strategies was identified as a possible cause of the reduction.
Comments
Study showing an example of successful strategies for reducing CAUTIs at a neurological intensive care unit.
A multifaceted quality improvement strategy reduces the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infection.
Author and Origin
Theobald CN, Resnick MJ, Spain T, Dittus RS, Roumie CL. US
Summary
Observational study of the implementation of a multifaceted program to reduce catheter use and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rates.
Conclusions
Catheter use declined by 35% as a result of e.g. empowering nurses to use intermittent catheterization and existing bladder scanners to manage urinary retention.
Comments
Study showing an example of successful strategies for reducing catheter use and CAUTIs.
This blog post is an extract of the Science Alert from July 2017 (76070-USX-1707)
