Preventing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection is Job One

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Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are the only device-related infections which have increased in the last five years. National quality and safety initiatives as well as reimbursement strategies are targeted to focus on reducing CAUTIs. This course will review the evidence within the existing guidelines for management and early removal of the catheter or preventing placement altogether. In addition, we will explore innovative process and product technology that will help to reduce or eliminate CAUTIs. This course content is applicable to nurses and other health care professionals who work with patients in acute care, rehabilitation, and long-term care facilities.

Meet your instructor

Kathleen Vollman

Kathleen Vollman is a Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist, Educator, and Consultant. She has published and lectured nationally and internationally on a variety of topics, including pulmonary care, critical care, prevention of health-care-acquired injuries, work culture, and sepsis recognition and management. From 1989 to…

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Chapters & learning objectives

1. CAUTIs: The Scope of the Problem and Risk Factors for Development

Twelve to sixteen percent of adult inpatients will have a urinary catheter at some time during their hospital stay. CAUTI complications can cause discomfort for the patient, increase hospital length of stay and health care costs, and impact mortality. This session addresses the magnitude of the problem, the risk factors for development, and how CAUTIs fit into the current reimbursement structure.

2. Do I Even Need a Catheter? Outlining the Assessment Process and Insertion Process

Assessment of need for a catheter should be based on criteria that are clearly defined. It is challenging to break through routine practices for catheter placement in ERs, ORs, and ICUs that have existed for years. This chapter will examine the process around the decision to insert a catheter, the use of alternatives, and the procedure for insertion.

3. CAUTI: Maintenance Care

Maintaining the catheter using evidence-based practices includes: care of the catheter during bathing and fecal incontinence episodes, culturing practices, and nurse-driven early catheter removal programs. When practiced together in a robust safety culture, these maintenance interventions can significantly reduce CAUTIs.

4. CAUTI Prevention: Going Beyond the Bundle

The last CAUTI prevention national published guidelines from the CDC occurred in 2009, and the infectious disease and hospital epidemiologist as well as the infection preventionist groups latest updates occurred in 2014. The creation of new evidence and technology is evolving at a rapid pace, and this chapter will outline all the latest innovations that go beyond the guidelines.

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