Nurse talking together over notes at nurse station
CAUTI Prevention Catalysts Left to right: Andrea Ellis, RN
Alexandra Keihl, RN
Maria Tinitigan, RN

Reducing Urinary Catheter Infections

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are one of the most common hospital-associated infections. After our nursing teams identified increased CAUTI rates among adult patients in our Critical Care Unit (CCU), we developed a partnership to address the issue. We formed an A3 Team comprised of leadership and CCU nurses, the infection prevention team, the hospital acquired infection (HAI) committee, and CCU medical director.

The group, with the direction of CCU leadership and input from the unit partnership councils, updated procedures, and implemented best practices. This included:

  • Implementing a two RN Foley insertion technique
  • Reinforcing daily bathing and hygiene
  • Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) baths
  • Badge buddies developed as a resource for clinical nurses
  • A poster reinforcing the process created and displayed on the nursing unit

CAUTI Reduction Rates

The CCU clinical manager and CCU medical director developed a tracking sheet and conducted patient rounds daily, to address line necessity. Both clinical nurses and unit leadership perform monthly audits on the CHG baths. Together, these strategies have led to a notable reduction in CAUTI rates — as of January 2022, the CCU has gone 278 days without a CAUTI.

Developing a plan - nurse demoing on whiteboard
Developing the Plan Ann Aquino, RN
Two nurses with masks on looking over beyond frame possibly at a teacher
Sharing Ideas Left to right: Alexandra Keihl, RN
Maria Tinitigan, RN
Group of Doctors and Nurses in circle having a disucussion
CCU Multidisciplinary Daily Rounds Left to right: Sharon Howe, RN
Alexandra Keihl, RN
Maria Tinitigan, RN
Gary Lin, MD
Andrea Ellis, RN
David Gabriel, RN
As of January 2022,
the CCU Unit had gone
278 Days
Without a CAUTI