title: Inappropriate use of urinary catheters in patients admitted to medical wards in a university hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence and predisposing factors were determined for inappropriate urinary catheterization (UC) among inpatients in medical wards.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted including all patients aged ≥ 18 years admitted to medical wards in a 1300-bed tertiary-care centre, and who had a urinary catheter in place on the day of the survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 380 patients observed, 46 (12.1%) had a urinary catheter in place. Twelve of them (26.1%) were inappropriately catheterized. The most common indication for inappropriate UC was urine output monitoring in a cooperative, non-critically ill patient. Inappropriateness was associated with increased age, poor functional status, urinary incontinence, dementia, and admission from a long-term care facility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further educational efforts should be focused on improving catheterization prescribing practices by physicians.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre (i+12), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: mario_fdezruiz@yahoo.es.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández-Ruiz
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vara
authors.forename: Rocío N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Villar
authors.forename: José María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Aguado
mesh_terms: D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000209:etiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia; D004231:Diuresis; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D010362:Patients' Rooms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055656:Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology
keywords: Catéter urinario; Conocimiento; Inappropriate use; Inpatients; Medical wards; Pacientes ingresados; Physicians’ knowledge; Servicios médico; Survey; Urinary catheterization; Uso inapropiado; Vigilancia