Knowledge of evidence-based urinary catheter care practice recommendations among healthcare workers in nursing homes.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the knowledge of recommended urinary catheter care practices among nursing home (NH) healthcare workers (HCWs) in southeast Michigan.


METHODS
Self-administered survey.


METHODS
Seven NHs in southeast Michigan.


METHODS
HCWs.


METHODS
The survey included questions about respondent characteristics and knowledge about indications, care, and personal hygiene pertaining to urinary catheters. The association between knowledge measures and occupation (nurses vs aides) was assessed using generalized estimating equations.


RESULTS
Three hundred fifty-six of 440 HCWs (81%) responded. More than 90% of HCWs were aware of measures such as cleaning around the catheter daily, glove use, and hand hygiene with catheter manipulation. They were less aware of research-proven recommendations of not disconnecting the catheter from its bag (59% nurses, 30% aides, P<.001), not routinely irrigating the catheter (48% nurses, 8% aides, P<.001), and hand hygiene after casual contact (60% nurses, 69% aides, P=.07). HCWs were also unaware of recommendations regarding alcohol-based hand rub (27% nurses and 32% aides with correct responses, P=.38). HCWs reported informal (e.g., nurse supervisors) and formal (in-services) sources of knowledge about catheter care.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant discrepancies remain between research-proven recommendations pertaining to urinary catheter care and HCWs' knowledge. Nurses and aides differ in their knowledge of recommendations against harmful practices, such as disconnecting the catheter from the bag and routinely irrigating catheters. Further research should focus on strategies to enhance dissemination of proven infection control practices in NHs.
Mody
Lona
L
Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. lonamody@umich.edu
Saint
Sanjay
S
Galecki
Andrzej
A
Chen
Shu
S
Krein
Sarah L
SL
D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D002983:Clinical Competence; D055318:Evidence-Based Nursing; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D009728:Nursing Assistants; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009740:Nursing Staff; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000451:nursing*