title: Audit of catheter-associated UTI using silver alloy-coated Foley catheters.
abstract: Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is the most common and most costly healthcare-associated infection, and possibly the most preventable (Salgado et al, 2003). The Cochrane Review of silver alloy-coated Foley catheters concluded that they are successful at reducing the rate of this healthcare-associated infection, which can be potentially fatal (Brosnahan et al, 2004). This article discusses the merits of using the silver alloy-coated Foley catheter in reducing the risk of CAUTI in an acute general hospital. A pre- and post-intervention design was used to audit CAUTI rates. During the pre-intervention period of 10 weeks, the Trust's standard catheters were used and CAUTI rates captured. Silver alloy-coated Foley catheters were introduced and their use monitored for a further period of 10 weeks. A total of 117 newly catheterized patients were actively monitored for signs and symptoms of CAUTI. The audit met and exceeded its aim of reducing the CAUTI rate by 20&. The CAUTI risk rate and device rate fell during the evaluation period. The use of the silver alloy-coated Foley catheters proved to be cost-effective given the recognized additional costs of CAUTI and prolonged in-patient stay (Plowman et al, 1999). Given the results of this audit it is recommended that the silver alloy-coated Foley catheter be the catheter of choice for use with acute patient admissions requiring short-term catheterization.
authors.affiliation: Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust, Royal Gwent Hospital, Cardiff Road, Newport.
authors.forename: Coral
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Seymour
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000592:standards*; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000592:standards*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels; D017053:Infection Control / Q000592:standards; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D018030:Silver Compounds; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D020100:Hydrogels; D018030:Silver Compounds