Interventions To Prevent CAUTI in Patients Who Have a Documented Medical Need for Indwelling Urinary Catheter
Prevention strategies must focus on clear indications for the insertion of a urinary catheter and prompt removal when no longer necessary. When an indwelling urinary catheter is indicated, the following interventions should be in place to help prevent infection:
- Use indwelling catheters only when medically necessary.
- Use aseptic insertion technique with appropriate hand hygiene and gloves.
- Allow only trained health care providers to insert catheter.
- Properly secure catheters to prevent movement and urethral traction.
- Maintain a sterile closed drainage system.
- Maintain good hygiene at the catheter-urethral interface.
- Maintain unobstructed urine flow.
- Maintain drainage bag below level of bladder at all times.
- Remove catheters when no longer needed.
- Do not change indwelling catheters or drainage bags at arbitrary fixed intervals.
- Document indication for urinary catheter on each day of use.
- Use reminder systems to target opportunities to remove catheter.
- Use external (or condom-style) catheters if appropriate in men.
- Use portable ultrasound bladder scans to detect residual urine amounts.
- Consider alternatives to catheters, such as intermittent catheterization and portable ultrasound bladder scans to detect residual urine amounts.
