The catheter-associated urinary tract is one of the frequent healthcare issues facing hospitals in the United States. This infection is common in different countries, with at least one in every five patients admitted in an acute healthcare facility receiving catheter-related intervention mechanisms. An indwelling catheter is the primary cause of this infection and occurs after a catheter is inserted into the urethra. The objective of this surgery is to drain from the bladder and store it in the collection bag. Catheter treatment is performed where an individual had surgery or is unable to control the functioning of the bladder, thus developing a complication in discharging urine. The urinary catheter is placed into the urethra when needed until urine starts to flow. In most cases, it is performed by a medical professional who creates an artificial track at the center of the bladder and the abdominal wall. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection is preventable, but it is one of the costly infections.
Factors leading to Catheter-associated urinary tract infection
The occurrence of Catheter-associated urinary tract infection is associated with factors related to catheter insertion. Catheters are the commonly used medical devices in hospitals. However, all the catheter-related tools are prone to infection that leads to Catheter urinary tract infection. Catheter treatment plays a critical role in supporting human life for a long or temporary period depending on the condition of the Catheter-associated urinary tract infection and various aspects that support the spread of the bacteria. For example, catheter tools may become contaminated during the insertion process that exposes urethra to infections (Cortese et al., 2018). The catheter is inserted into the bladder through the urethra to empty the bladder in a situation where an individual experiences complications associated with urine discharge. However, the insertion is risky, especially when nurses and patients are not aware of the risks associated with catheter insertion.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The absence of clean insertion and removal techniques also contribute to the development of catheter-associated urinary tract infections. The lack of hygiene creates room for bacteria to survive, such as P. mirabilis that affects the urine system in the human body. Additionally, failure to empty the drainage bag creates a favorable environment for different bacteria that increase the risks of acquiring CAUTIs. Though nurses may perform tube insertion carefully to avoid any form of contamination, failing to empty the drainage bag can result in the urine flowing backward into the bladder with the bacteria. In effect, bacteria from the bowel movement may reach the catheter resulting in the development of health complications.
Evidence-Based and Best-Practice Solutions to Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection
Several strategies have been applied to ensuring that nurses minimize the risks associated with Catheter-associated urinary tract infections. For instance, the application of stop orders to remove the catheter in time has reduced the health risk by 50%. This strategy prevents the occurrence of various activities such as the flow back of urine to flow back to the bladder, thus increasing the possibility of acquiring catheter. The application of this strategy has proved to be effective in minimizing the cases of individuals with Catheter-associated urinary tract infections. Additionally, the practice of hand hygiene by nurses and patients during catheter insertion has played a critical role in reducing the cases of UTI and CAUTI (Meddings et al., 2017). This practice prevents contamination of the tools and materials applied in catheter treatment that may cause catheter-associated urinary tract infection causing agents to affect the patient.
Frequent fluid intake has proved to be effective in reducing infections. This strategy has proved to be effective in various studies though they do not have significant benefits in preventing the occurrence of disease infections. The effectiveness of using these fluids occur only in situations where an individual has already developed the infection as they minimize the complications. Fluid intake makes it possible for an individual to feel better by flushing bacteria from the urinary system (Taha et al., 2017). However, fluids such as alcohol, citrus fruits, and sodas should be avoided. The effectiveness of using fluids can be achieved when accompanied by the prescription of drugs such as antibiotics and anti-spasmodic to reduce the pain from the bladder.
The Role of Nurses Can Help Coordinate Care to Increase Patient Safety and Reduce Costs
Addressing the problem of Catheter-associated urinary tract infection can be solved by treating nurses as the key stakeholders in increasing patient safety and reducing the costs. For instance, nurses are primary healthcare providers for the insertion and application of catheters. In effect, they have the potential to coordinate activities of different stakeholders such as the patients, clinicians, and senior management. For instance, nurses can achieve this objective by creating an in time coaching by the clinical resource nurses and infection control links to assist nurses and patients in identifying the presence of UTI and CAUTI among patients (Gordon, 2015). In time coaching helps nurses to improve healthcare service delivery and create awareness among patients on the best practices for promoting a health application of catheter treatment.
Medical education by nurses through medical education conferences has played can play a critical role in increasing patient safety and reducing clinical costs. The discussion should include nurses, physicians, quality improvement staff, and residents (Fakih et al., 2014). The conference should be educative of the factors leading to catheter-associated urinary tract infection and strategies that can minimize the cases that have to be addressed at the hospital level.
Nurses can also assist in reducing operational costs and promote patient safety by adopting technology such as electronic stop orders and patient tracking approaches. This approach reduces the risks that increase the costs of addressing catheter-associated urinary tract infections. For example, adding a tracking system in the nursing staff daily management system will help nurses to understand how they can minimize the number of issues associated with catheter use (Fakih et al., 2014). Nurses can increase patient safety through the adoption of EMR initiative, especially in the Intensive Care Unit and surgical floors. This practice plays a critical role in reminding nurses about patients with a catheter and remember the exact time for removal.
Stakeholders
Addressing the catheter-associated urinary tract infection requires the intervention of various stakeholders. Nurses are the first crucial stakeholders because they give firsthand information about the challenges and opportunities for reducing risks associated with catheter insertion. Additionally, patients and community members are also essential stakeholders because they are directly affected patient insecurity, thus increasing clinical operation costs. Nursing staff management and administration should also give their views and provide financial support to implement recommended strategies. The Center for Disease Control department should also be involved in providing support to hospitals in acquiring mechanisms for reducing Catheter-associated urinary tract infection.
Conclusion
Increasing patient safety and reducing costs requires the input of various stakeholders to prevent Catheter-associated urinary tract infections. The occurrence of disease infection is associated with catheter insertion and untimely removal of a catheter that may cause urine to flow back, causing infections. Addressing this issue requires nurses to be the primary stakeholders in informing patients and the staff administration to increase patient safety while minimizing costs.
References
Cortese, Y. J., Wagner, V. E., Tierney, M., Devine, D., & Fogarty, A. (2018). Review of catheter-associated urinary tract infections and in vitro urinary tract models. Journal of healthcare engineering, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/2986742
Fakih, M. G., Krein, S. L., Edson, B., Watson, S. R., Battles, J. B., & Saint, S. (2014). Engaging health care workers to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infection and avert patient harm. American journal of infection control, 42(10), S223-S229.
Gordon, P. R. (2015). The effects of nursing education on decreasing catheter associated urinary tract infection rates.
Meddings, J., Saint, S., Krein, S. L., Gaies, E., Reichert, H., Hickner, A., & Mody, L. (2017). Systematic review of interventions to reduce urinary tract infection in nursing home residents. Journal of hospital medicine, 12(5), 356. doi: 10.12788/jhm.2724
Taha, H., Raji, S. J., Khallaf, A., Hija, S. A., Mathew, R., Rashed, H.,. & Ellahham, S. (2017). Improving catheter associated urinary tract infection rates in the medical units. BMJ Open Quality, 6(1), u209593-w7966.
