EBP: Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI)

Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI)
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Abstract
This proposal focuses on the problem of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs). At the moment, there is a high rate of CAUTI cases in my acute care hospital. Specifically, there are 14 cases per 1,000 catheter-days, which is very high. The consequences include the prolonged length of stay, increased patient morbidity and mortality rates, and additional hospital costs. Various researchers have found out that in patients with CAUTIs, the estimated mortality is as high as ten percent. Treating a Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection costs a hospital about $600. Nonetheless, this figure rises to about $2,800 if there is an associated bloodstream infection. The solution entails the adoption of a bundle of interventions for preventing CAUTIs. The bundle of interventions includes several interventions, which include limiting the utilization of urinary catheters, finding an alternative to indwelling urinary catheters, using aseptic techniques for inserting and maintaining the catheters, and following infection control protocols of the hospital. The budget for implementation is $30,000. The implementation is to take place over a period of 6 months.
Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI)
Section A: Problem Description
The identified problem is the occurrence of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) in the hospital. It is worth mentioning that these infections are the most common sorts of healthcare-associated infections. CAUTIs are mostly avoidable. Urinary tract infections are infections that involve any part of the patient’s urinary system, such as kidney, ureters, bladder, and urethra (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018). The incidence of CAUTIs is very high at the acute care hospital in which I work. Catheters are utilized in draining urine from the bladder of the patient into a bag that is located outside the patient’s body. Health professionals insert indwelling catheters in the body of the patient. These catheters at my hospital are often utilized for individuals who are recovering from a surgical operation; who experience urinary retention, that is, patients who are not able to urinate; and patients who experience urinary incontinence.
Urinary Tract Infections at this hospital account for nearly 43% of all infections reported at the healthcare organization and an estimated 89% of all Urinary Tract Infections are linked to the presence of an indwelling urinary catheter. These infections have significant economic and clinical consequences for the healthcare organization. CAUTIs increase hospital cost as the acute care hospital spends about $52,000 annually in treating CAUTIs alone. They are also linked to increased patient mortality and morbidity. Every year, more than five patients die as a result of these nosocomial infections. The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMMS) considers CAUTIs at the hospital as reasonably preventable complications of hospitalization. For this reason, it does not provide extra pay for CAUTI treatment-related expenses (Meddings, Rogers & Macy, 2014). The rate of CAUTI at the hospital is 14...