Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Major

Nursing

Date of Defense

7-10-2019

Graduate Advisor

Nancy Magnuson

Committee

Elizabeth Mantych

Donna Prentice

Abstract

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are the primary source of infection in patients with urinary catheters and are the fourth leading cause of healthcare-associated infection. Because indwelling urinary catheters are not completely avoidable in hospitalized patients, it is crucial to utilize evidence-based research to prevent CAUTIs. A urinary catheter maintenance bundle is one way to reduce CAUTI rates in hospitalized patients. This quality improvement project utilizes a catheter maintenance bundle with seven elements with the aim of reducing CAUTI rates. The project takes place in a 20-bed neurological intensive care unit (ICU) in a larger tertiary care medical center. Prior to initiating compliance to catheter maintenance care through audits, staff nurses in the ICU were educated on the hospital’s infection prevention urinary catheter maintenance bundle that includes seven elements of catheter maintenance. These elements include red seal intact, bag and tubing off of the floor, bag below level of the bladder, urine flow without obstruction, thigh securement, individual collection container, and collection container that is labeled. There were 394 catheter maintenance bundle audits completed biweekly from February 2019 to May 2019. Increased compliance to the catheter maintenance bundle was achieved but did not result in a decrease in CAUTI rates.

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