Reducing the Incidence of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections Through the Adoption of an Evidence-Based Protocol in the Cardiac Care Unit

Abstract

Urinary tract infections are the most common infections acquired in hospitalized adult patients. The implementation of a set of evidence-based practice guidelines for criteria for insertion/maintenance and prevention of nosocomial catheter-associated urinary tract infections has resulted in a decrease in catheter-associated urinary tract infections and a significant drop in device days. The development of guidelines accessible to nursing staff demonstrates how evidence-based practice can improve patient outcomes. (Infect Dis Clin Pract 2009;17: 157Y160)