Recent research published in the American Journal of Infection Control suggests healthcare providers can do more to boost catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention efforts.
For this study, researchers relied on data submitted to the National Healthcare Safety Network by 250 hospitals representing 415 ICUs. Their research showed a minority of ICUs had policies supporting bladder ultrasound (26 percent), condom catheters (20 percent), catheter removal reminders (12 percent) or nurse-initiated catheter discontinuation (10 percent). The researchers also found ICUs in hospitals with 500 beds or more were half as likely as smaller hospitals to have at least one CAUTI prevention policy.
For this study, researchers relied on data submitted to the National Healthcare Safety Network by 250 hospitals representing 415 ICUs. Their research showed a minority of ICUs had policies supporting bladder ultrasound (26 percent), condom catheters (20 percent), catheter removal reminders (12 percent) or nurse-initiated catheter discontinuation (10 percent). The researchers also found ICUs in hospitals with 500 beds or more were half as likely as smaller hospitals to have at least one CAUTI prevention policy.
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