title: Reducing foley catheter device days in an intensive care unit: using the evidence to change practice.
abstract: The prolonged use of indwelling urinary catheters can lead to many complications, the most prevalent being urinary tract infections. These hospital-acquired infections can increase hospital costs, length of stay, and mortality rates. Evidence-based guidelines for the prevention of urinary tract infections are compared and discussed. Minimizing indwelling urinary catheter use is well-recognized in the literature to reduce the risk of these infections. To decrease the incidence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, the staff of a 22-bed, mixed medical, surgical, and trauma intensive care unit focused on reducing the number of foley catheter device days. A multidisciplinary team was convened to create an evidence-based plan. Staff nurses were engaged in the development and implementation of the plan. Criteria-based foley catheter guidelines, a decision-making algorithm, and a daily checklist were implemented that led to a significant reduction in foley catheter device days and a decrease in catheter-associated urinary tract infections.
authors.affiliation: Morristown Memorial Hospital, Dover, NJ 07801, USA. laura.reilly@ahsys.org
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.forename: Patty
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ninni
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fochesto
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Brandee
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fetherman
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D012308:Risk Management / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000451:nursing*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*