Nursing group updates guidelines on preventing catheter-associated UTIs

A new American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Practice Alert stresses the use of pre- and post-catheterization assessments to gauge proper catheter use and to monitor early signs of urinary tract infection.

In the alert, the latest in a collection of evidence-based guidelines issued by AACN, the AACN said it expects nursing units to:

• develop written guidelines for urinary catheterization, including indications for indwelling urinary catheterization and ensuring that catheter placement is limited to patients who meet indications
• stock devices and supplies, and be aware of techniques that offer alternatives to indwelling catheters
• design and implement standards and training programs for catheter insertion and manipulation
• review daily the need for continued catheterization for all patients
• develop systems to ensure prompt removal of catheters when their use is no longer indicated
• implement infection surveillance programs that include unit-based urinary catheter days and rates of catheter-associated UTIs
• develop action plans to address needed improvements.

The full Practice Alert is available here.

Go back to this issue of Urology Times eNews.