RUA: Prevention of CAUTI in the ICU utilizing a multidisciplinary checklist
NR 452: Capstone Course
Chamberlain University
, Introduction
The most serious complications in United States hospitals are health care-associated
(HAIs). Data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in 2012, show that
healthcare-associated infections affect an alarming 2 million U.S. hospitalized patients, which
resulted in 99,000 deaths. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is one of the most
common infections that is acquired in the adult intensive care settings. The purpose of this paper
is to implement a multidisciplinary checklist in the adult intensive care unit at University
Medical Center of Southern Nevada to determine whether or not this intervention will have a
positive impact on preventing infections acquired by an indwelling catheter. The nurses,
physicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacy, nutrition, and other associates of the health care
team will take part in completing the checklist as well as completing their other daily tasks.
With the amount of catheter associated urinary tract infections rising, the checklist being
implemented relates to health promotion and maintenance category of the NCLEX-RN exam
blue print of 2013 because the checklist allows for the nurse to prevent the occurrence of the
urinary tract infection from increasing by providing direct nursing care to the client to help them
achieve optimal health.
Importance
The prevalence of CAUTI in the hospital ranges from 30%-40% and is one of the most
common healthcare-associated infections in the intensive care setting (Marra, 2011). Each patient
who contracts CAUTI has an additional estimated cost of care of $1,000 (Fuchs, 2011). Annually
the medical costs that are estimated due to CAUTI is about $4.5 billion and have risen to around
$6.65 billion based on consumer price index (Fuchs, 2011). With CAUTIs having an incidence 2
million cases per year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have identified CAUTI
NR 452: Capstone Course
Chamberlain University
, Introduction
The most serious complications in United States hospitals are health care-associated
(HAIs). Data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in 2012, show that
healthcare-associated infections affect an alarming 2 million U.S. hospitalized patients, which
resulted in 99,000 deaths. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is one of the most
common infections that is acquired in the adult intensive care settings. The purpose of this paper
is to implement a multidisciplinary checklist in the adult intensive care unit at University
Medical Center of Southern Nevada to determine whether or not this intervention will have a
positive impact on preventing infections acquired by an indwelling catheter. The nurses,
physicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacy, nutrition, and other associates of the health care
team will take part in completing the checklist as well as completing their other daily tasks.
With the amount of catheter associated urinary tract infections rising, the checklist being
implemented relates to health promotion and maintenance category of the NCLEX-RN exam
blue print of 2013 because the checklist allows for the nurse to prevent the occurrence of the
urinary tract infection from increasing by providing direct nursing care to the client to help them
achieve optimal health.
Importance
The prevalence of CAUTI in the hospital ranges from 30%-40% and is one of the most
common healthcare-associated infections in the intensive care setting (Marra, 2011). Each patient
who contracts CAUTI has an additional estimated cost of care of $1,000 (Fuchs, 2011). Annually
the medical costs that are estimated due to CAUTI is about $4.5 billion and have risen to around
$6.65 billion based on consumer price index (Fuchs, 2011). With CAUTIs having an incidence 2
million cases per year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have identified CAUTI
