Preventing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections with Education on Using the Catheter Bundle

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Joint Commission, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recognized the importance of reducing health-care-associated infections (HAIs) and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) for the safety of all patients. The U.S Department of Health and Human Services has focused on approving a plan to address HAIs in the health care setting with an emphasis on CAUTIs. The purpose of this project was to decrease CAUTI rates on a long-term care and rehab unit by educating staff about using the CAUTI bundle and CAUTI maintenance tool kit. The theoretical framework that guided this project was Knowles\u27s assumption of adult learning. The practice-focused questions addressed the effects of staff education on CAUTI prevention using a CAUTI bundle approach. Pretest and posttest data were collected from all current primary care nursing staff providers at the study site. CAUTI rates were also obtained from the infection prevention and control nurse at the study facility. Implementation of education related to the CAUTI bundle approach led to 2 consecutive months of no CAUTIs in 2019. Findings from the CAUTI project may bring about positive social change by improving patients\u27 quality of life by ensuring they do not develop HAIs. Use of the CAUTI bundle approach may be implemented in long-term care facilities throughout the United States to ensure patients do not acquire HAIs