Catheter-associated urinary tract infections, or CAUTIs, are one of the most common types of infections that can happen in hospitals. When germs sneak into the urinary tract through a tube called a urinary catheter, they can cause an infection in the bladder or kidneys. The longer this tube stays in a person’s bladder, the higher the chance of getting a CAUTI. To help prevent this, it’s really important to clean and care for the catheter properly, use it only when absolutely necessary, and remove it as soon as it’s no longer needed.
UAB Medicine has a special plan called the CAUTI prevention bundle. This plan includes 3-5 proven practices that work best together to lower infection rates. Following this bundle helps keep patients safer and healthier.
- Taking catheters out quickly: Nurses have a special plan to take out urinary catheters as soon as they can. Every day, they check whether a catheter is still needed. If not, it is removed right away. This helps keep patients safe and healthy.
- Using fewer catheters: We want to avoid using urinary catheters, which are tubes that help collect urine. At UAB Medicine, we have specific reasons we can use them. If a patient doesn’t really need one, we won’t use it. This helps prevent infections that can happen when catheters are used.
- Placing catheters safely: When we do need to use a catheter, it is placed in a very clean way by trained staff who know how to do it correctly.
- Caring for catheters: Our staff also learn how to take care of catheters properly. This helps stop germs from getting into the urine bag or the catheter itself.