Indwelling Urinary Catheters
Foley catheters are used for many patients who have been admitted to the hospital, as well as patients who undergo lengthy surgeries. Approximately 15-25% of hospitalized patients are ordered an indwelling catheter during their stay; most of these patients stay catheterized for 2-4 days (Aljohi et al., 2016). It is important to use proper technique to avoid catheter acquired UTI’s (CAUTI’s) because hospitals don’t get money when patients receive hospital acquired infections and patients come into the hospital to get better, not to get sicker. CAUTI’s can lead to cystitis, pyelonephritis, and in severe cases, end up as a bacterial invasion in the bloodstream called bacteremia. Bacteremia can result in septicemia …show more content…
This should be something that is observed, documented, and researched more to see if the antiseptic really makes a difference. The outcome of that research might be the push that medical personnel need to take the extra step in using the hand antiseptic. One study does suggest that the risk of bacteriuria is equally as high if an antiseptic gel is used versus when not used; however, one study is not enough to be considered to be used as evidence based practice (Tenke et al., 2008). A change that should be implemented across hospitals is having health care workers be observed while performing hand hygiene upon hire, and randomly throughout their employment at their institution. This could ensure that everyone is on the same page with hand hygiene and that the correct procedure is followed and continues to be followed while that person is still employed. Health care workers should also attend some type of “Preventing CAUTI’s” in-service once a year to remind them of the complications that could arise from urinary catheterization, the importance of using proper hand hygiene and securement devices, and risk factors for developing a CAUTI so that employees can watch patients with those risk factors the most …show more content…
Nurses should take evidence based practice seriously and implement new ideas into practice as soon as they are approved and taught to the faculty. All health care professionals who take care of patients should be taught the same information in order to keep current as well as to keep everyone on the same page while taking care of patients with indwelling urinary catheters. Nurses are busy, but they should never be too busy to take that extra step or to be a little more careful with their sterility in all aspects, whether it be inserting the catheter or emptying the urine
Foley catheters are used for many patients who have been admitted to the hospital, as well as patients who undergo lengthy surgeries. Approximately 15-25% of hospitalized patients are ordered an indwelling catheter during their stay; most of these patients stay catheterized for 2-4 days (Aljohi et al., 2016). It is important to use proper technique to avoid catheter acquired UTI’s (CAUTI’s) because hospitals don’t get money when patients receive hospital acquired infections and patients come into the hospital to get better, not to get sicker. CAUTI’s can lead to cystitis, pyelonephritis, and in severe cases, end up as a bacterial invasion in the bloodstream called bacteremia. Bacteremia can result in septicemia …show more content…
This should be something that is observed, documented, and researched more to see if the antiseptic really makes a difference. The outcome of that research might be the push that medical personnel need to take the extra step in using the hand antiseptic. One study does suggest that the risk of bacteriuria is equally as high if an antiseptic gel is used versus when not used; however, one study is not enough to be considered to be used as evidence based practice (Tenke et al., 2008). A change that should be implemented across hospitals is having health care workers be observed while performing hand hygiene upon hire, and randomly throughout their employment at their institution. This could ensure that everyone is on the same page with hand hygiene and that the correct procedure is followed and continues to be followed while that person is still employed. Health care workers should also attend some type of “Preventing CAUTI’s” in-service once a year to remind them of the complications that could arise from urinary catheterization, the importance of using proper hand hygiene and securement devices, and risk factors for developing a CAUTI so that employees can watch patients with those risk factors the most …show more content…
Nurses should take evidence based practice seriously and implement new ideas into practice as soon as they are approved and taught to the faculty. All health care professionals who take care of patients should be taught the same information in order to keep current as well as to keep everyone on the same page while taking care of patients with indwelling urinary catheters. Nurses are busy, but they should never be too busy to take that extra step or to be a little more careful with their sterility in all aspects, whether it be inserting the catheter or emptying the urine