Cather-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI)

Evidence-Based Practice Proposal - Section C: Literature Support
Name
Institutional Affiliate
Evidence-Based Practice Proposal - Section C: Literature Support
Introduction
Cather-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) form one of the common infections affecting hospitalized patients across the world. CAUTIs pose a significant challenge to the healthcare sector as they jeopardize the quality of care provided by such facilities while also compromising the patient’s safety. The prevalence of CAUTIs leads to the increased cost of healthcare for patients as they may result in complex healthcare problems. It is, therefore, important for healthcare facilities to develop, adopt, and implement effective interventional measures to curb the prevalent cases of Urinary Tract Infections from catheterization. The fact that nurses are the primary care providers calls for their active participation in such interventional measures or programs for improved delivery of the catheter care services to patients. Provided herein is the review of various literature highlighting the correlation between nurses’ level of knowledge, skills, and expertise in catheterization to the rate of Cather-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs).
Search Method
Various health databases for peer-reviewed journals were used in finding the supporting literature about the influence of nurses’ knowledge and experience in catheterization on the rate of occurrence for catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). A review of the selected literature forms an excellent platform for understanding the importance of enhanced nursing knowledge and experience in catheterization as an effective evidence-based practice proposal for addressing CAUTIs. The keywords used in the selection criteria include catheterization, CAUTIs, and nurses’ knowledge.
Literature Support
Among the selected literature for review included Algarni, Sofar, and Wazqar’s publication in the Journal of Health, Medicine, and Nursing (2019). The purpose of the study was to make an assessment of the knowledge and practices of nurses in preventing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI). The study took place at King Abdulaziz University Hospital. As the primary healthcare providers, nurses are not only responsible for the effective insertion and maintenance of urinary catheters. The desired outcomes of such procedures depend on their knowledge and practices of providing catheter care toward the prevention of UTIs. The researchers utilized a correlational design in the assessment of a cross-section of nurses’ knowledge and practices toward the prevention of CAUTI. The nurses served in the Medical & Surgical intensive care units (MICU & SICU). The research study measured the nurse’s level of knowledge, as indicated by the level of study in the profession, and their experience in CAUTIs prevention. The study revealed that 48 nurses or 35% of the participants had reached the diploma level of study, 62.1% held a bachelor’s degree in Nursing and a mere 2.9% having a Masters or Doctorate level of study. The years of experience in providing such care further differed across the research sample. According to Algarni and colleagues, providing catheter care demands strict adherence to the approved care methods and indications for increased prevention of CAUTI. A higher level of knowledge and experience is thus integral to reducing the rate of CAUTIs in healthcare facilities. However, the practice needs more research and studies on the factors limiting nurses’ access to knowledge and practice concerning the prevention of CAUTI.
The Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee, alongside a group of other researchers, sought to update the existing guidelines or expand the framework for prevention of CAUTI (2010). The combined effort of the group of researchers identifies the emerging catheterization demands among patients, which require equally advanced healthcare technologies and practice in the prevention of CAUTIs. The researchers carry out a systematic review of the best evidence in existence for the preventio...