Rationale and Comments

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections are among the most common health care–associated infections in the United States. Most catheter-associated urinary tract infections are related to urinary catheters, so the infections can largely be prevented by reduced use of indwelling urinary catheters and catheter removal as soon as possible. Catheter-associated urinary tract infections are responsible for an increase in U.S. health care costs and can lead to more serious complications in hospitalized patients.

Sponsoring Organizations

• American Academy of Nursing

Sources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Disciplines

• Infectious disease
• Urologic

References

• Gould CV, Umscheid CA, Agarwal RK, Kuntz G, Pegues DA; Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPCA). Guideline for prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections 2009. Centers for Disease Control. Atlanta (GA); 2009. 67 p.
  
• Andreessen L, Wilde MH, Herendeen P. Preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections in acute care: the bundle approach. J Nurs Care Qual. 2012 Jul-Sep;27(3):209-17.
  
• Saint S, Greene MT, Kowalski CP, Watson SR, Hofer TP, Krein SL. Preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infection in the United States: a national comparative study. JAMA Intern Med. 2013 May 27;173(10):874-9.
  
• Tenke P, Köves B, Johansen TE. An update on prevention and treatment of catheter-associated urinary tract infections. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2014 Feb;27(1):102-7.