Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections, Research Paper Example

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most widespread noscomical infections, which accounts for up to 40 percent infections reported by acute care hospitals. Approximately 80 percent of UTIs are linked to the presence of an indwelling urinary catheter. Catheter associated tract infections (CAUTIs) represent the biggest percentage of healthcare associated infections (HAIs). CAUTI increases hospital costs and is linked to increased morbidity, as well as mortality. Thus, incorrect length of time, as well as the use of the catheters may place the patients at an unnecessary risk for a longer hospital stay, and it might fashion a financial strain on our health care system. With the policies and guidelines in place for the insertion and the rationale for constant use of indwelling catheters, protocols require to be complied with. The increased incident of catheters being left in place; raises the number of UTI’s reported. However, many cases of CAUTIs have been in the increase for reasons that are preventable, or perhaps oversight by hospital personnel, possibly a convenience. It does not matter the reason, these types of actions places the patient at risk for infection. There is clear relationship between the length of time an indwelling urinary catheter is in place and the frequency of CAUTIs (Kahnen et al, 2011).

It has been established that over 560,000 patients develop CAUTI annually, resulting to extended hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, and mortality and morbidity. Even though indwelling urinary catheters are extensively utilized in hospitalized patients and may offer a suitable ways of therapeutic management, they are often used without apparent indications placing the patient at a risk for complications in their hospitalization. Complications associated to a urinary catheter comprise physical and psychological uneasiness to the patient, bladder calculi, renal inflammation and most frequently CAUTI (Kahnen et al, 2011).

It has been reported that though most healthcare associated conditions (HACs), the rates for CAUTI are increasing. CAUTIs are the most commonly reported HAC to National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) in the United States. Amongst UTIs acquired in hospital, about 75 percent are linked to urinary catheters. Hence, it is vital that the overuse of urinary catheters is lowered, and must be removed per nurse-driven evidence-based protocols. Nursing research has established that there is no universally evidence-based instrument to lower CAUTI as there exists for other HAIs.  This will demand that nurses and other stakeholders develop effective methods that will be used to prevent the infection. According to Health People 2020, CAUTIs can be prevented through effective nurse practices. Health People 2020 recommend reduction of CAUTI in intensive care units and ward-located patients by 25 percent by 2020 based on new 2015 baseline (Centers for Disease Control and Precention, 2014). Furthermore, it states that there is the need to introduce a population-based outcome assessment method to evaluate the impact of interventions to reduce CAUTIs.

Evidence-based approaches can be used to lower the use of indwelling urinary catheters. Some of these approaches are nurse-drive and comprise the charge nurse or personnel nurse evaluating the need for the catheter after a period, and discussing with the doctor the finding or following a standing order for the catheter. There is the need to active intervention of every day consultation, as well as review of the need for a catheter will considerably lower the number of indwelling urinary catheter days per month and number of CAUTIs (Bernard et al, 2012). The anticipated practice of a nurse to reduce CAUTIs is that before the placement of the catheter review the patient for any accepted indications and alternatives adhere to aseptic method for placement and maintenance of the catheter, they need to document all cases of the catheter comprising the insertion date, indication, as well as removal date.

References

Bernard, M. S., Hunter, K. F., & Moore, K. N. (2012). A review of strategies to decrease the duration of indwelling urethral catheters and potentially reduce the incidence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections. Urologic Nursing, 32(1), 29-37.

Centers for Disease Control and Precention. (2014). Catheter-associated urinary tract infection event. Retreived from http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/pdfs/pscmanual/7psccauticurrent.pdf.

Kahnen, D. A., Flanders, S., &Magalong, T. (2011). Catheter-associated urinary tract infections: making them matter. MedSurg Matters, 20(6), 4-7.

Niel-Weise, B. S., van den Broek, P. J., da Silva, E. M. K., & Silva, L. A. (2012). Urinary catheter policies for long-term bladder drainage. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 11 July 2012, 43 pp.