Catheter insertion for complex patients by inexperienced nurses can lead to avoidable iatrogenic urethral injury and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI).
The study aim was to evaluate a comprehensive nurse-led difficult urinary catheterization (DUC) Program to reduce patient CAUTIs.
A retrospective cohort study design was used to evaluate the DUC Program's effectiveness during 2013 to 2017. Measures included RN DUC consultations, protocol adherence, patient CAUTIs, and urology consults.
The RN DUC team consulted 435 patients with a 92% insertion success rate. The DUC protocol adherence was 66.1%. Patient CAUTIs decreased from baseline (169) to year 4 (24) (odds ratio: 0.1889, 95% confidence interval = 0.1231-0.2898, P < .001). Urology consults decreased from baseline (40) to year 3 (21), however, increased in year 4 (80) when a urology residency program was started.
This comprehensive program was effective in improving catheter insertion technique, eliminating urology consults, and reducing CAUTIs when combined with organizational prevention measures.
Journal of nursing care quality. 2020 Jan 16 [Epub ahead of print]
David Price, Leslie McKeon
Medical Surgical Administration (Dr Price) and Nursing Administration (Dr McKeon), The University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville.