| Learning Objective #1: Describe the benefits of using a collaborative practice model to reduce indwelling urinary catheter use and risk for nosocomial urinary tract infections | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Discuss how this model may be used in your practice setting to achieve similar clinical outcomes |
Design: Prospective cohort study.
Population, Sample, Setting, and Years: Patients requiring indwelling urinary catheters admitted to general medical units at Yale-New Haven Hospital were included. Patients with chronic catheters were excluded. Data were collected in Spring 2002 and repeated in Spring 2003.
Intervention and Outcome: A physician-nurse protocol was developed to allow physicians to select, via a computerized order-entry system, one the following options: (1) discontinue catheter, (2) maintain catheter for 48 hours, or (3) maintain chronic device. The protocol permits nurses to independently remove urinary catheters for patients meeting established criteria. Outcome measures included calculated device days (CDD), calculated infection rates (CIR), and device utilization ratio (DUR).
Methods: During 53 consecutive days in 2002, all patients (n=883) were assessed for occurrence, duration, and appropriateness of catheter use. Patients with catheters were assessed for infection. This procedure was repeated 1-year later post intervention (n=894). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings: Compared to baseline, there was a 51% reduction in catheter use post intervention (164 versus 81) among all four patient units. Although the outcome variables were not statistically significance, they were clinically significant. The CDD declined from 892 to 521 days, a 42% reduction, while the CIR decreased from 36/1000 to 19/1000 patient days (47% reduction). The DUR (device days/all patient days) fell from 16% to 10%. One unit demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in CIR (p < .05).
Conclusions: Results of this study demonstrate that use of a collaborative practice model reduces indwelling urinary catheter use and risk for nosocomial urinary tract infections.
Implications: This protocol will heighten clinicians’ awareness of the appropriate use of catheters and parameters to guide decision-making regarding their removal.
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Sigma Theta Tau International
July 21, 2004