Document Type

Capstone

Title

Nurse-Driven Protocol to Reduce Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections

Authors

Elva Hamilton, Nova Southeastern University

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

Department

College of Nursing

First Advisor

Stefanie La Manna

Second Advisor

Eglintine Rigaud

Publication Date / Copyright Date

2018

NSUWorks Citation

Elva Hamilton. 2018. Nurse-Driven Protocol to Reduce Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections. Capstone. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, College of Nursing. (33)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/hpd_con_stuetd/33.

Abstract

Background: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are a major source of avoidable hospital-acquired infections. The scientific evidence supports utilization of nurse-driven protocols to reduce CAUTIs.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to update and implement an evidence-based CAUTI prevention protocol for the nursing staff on a medical-surgical unit in an adult acute care hospital to decrease the utilization of indwelling urinary catheters and CAUTIs.

Theoretical Framework: Donabedian’s structures, processes, and outcomes (SPO) model was utilized as the framework for this project. Donabedian’s SPO model focuses on strong healthcare structures and processes to improve nurse, patient, and organizational outcomes.

Methods: This project utilized a quantitative design. A convenience sample of 28 nurses from the medical-surgical unit of a South Florida hospital participated in the project. An educational intervention was delivered on CAUTI prevention based on guidelines from regulatory agencies, and the hospital existing protocol was updated and revised to reflect the guidelines. The sample was administered a short demographic survey, and 10-item pretests and posttests on CAUTI prevention before and after implementation of the standardized evidence-based protocol. To determine possible differences in nurses’ knowledge and perceptions of indwelling urinary catheters before and after the implementation, paired t tests were conducted. To determine if the proportions of days with urinary catheters were statistically significantly different 30 days before and after implementation of the standardized evidence-based guideline, a 2-proportion z-test was conducted.

Results: On analysis of the pretests and posttests, a statistically significant difference was found in 6 of the 10 questions, indicating that nurses’ knowledge and perceptions of CAUTIs improved after the intervention (p < .001 to p < .043). After the intervention, urinary catheter days relative to patient days also decreased significantly (z = 5.562, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Implementation of an evidence-based nurse-driven protocol in a hospital in South Florida improved nurses’ knowledge and perceptions of CAUTI prevention. Nursing practice and healthcare delivery can benefit from development of such guidelines and educational interventions to empower nurses to better manage patients’ indwelling urinary catheters, and decrease the incidence of CAUTIs in hospitals.

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Nursing

Keywords

Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection Prevention, CAUTI prevention, Nurse Driven protocol, nurse-driven protocol for CAUTI prevention, nurse-driven protocol for urinary catheter removal, Nurse-Driven Protocols

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