Essentially, the new protocol will give nurses the authority to assess a patient’s need for continued use of a catheter and remove it as soon as deemed appropriate. They will no longer need a physician order to do so.
“This is a significant departure from past practice when a physician order was required not only for placement, but also removal of a catheter,” said Spear’s Chief Nursing Officer Kris Hering, RN, BSN, CCRN. “As a result, waiting for the order could delay the removal of the catheter. Now nurses will assess a patient’s ongoing prescribed use of a catheter twice a day, and remove it immediately when the medical need for the catheter is no longer present. The sooner the catheter is removed, the less chance a patient has of acquiring a urinary tract infection.”
Read the hospital news release about the new CAUTI-prevention protocol (pdf).
Read other coverage about infection prevention efforts:
– Infection Prevention Rounds: 15 Items to Address
– Infection Control Programs On the Rise But Still Face Major Challenges
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