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Nosocomial UTI Prevention Infographic

You are required to create an infographic and will be performing research to support your critical thinking skills in a health care organization.

Drawing upon your experience or previous learning, you receive information that the nosocomial urinary infection rate is increasing for patients in the critical care areas. You are tasked to research the cause, identify likely causes, and use critical thinking and problem-solving to reduce or prevent infection and implement a solution.

• Create a one-page infographic that illustrates the causes you found and ways to reduce/prevent infection.
• Cite at least four references to validate your statements. Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines.
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• What is causing the increase in nosocomial urinary infections in critical care?,

• What are the most likely contributing factors to these infections?,

• How can critical thinking and problem-solving help reduce these infections?,

• What evidence-based strategies can be implemented to prevent UTIs?,

• What credible sources can support your findings and recommendations?

• 🚨 Problem Overview

  Nosocomial (hospital-acquired) urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common healthcare-associated infections, with critically ill patients being at higher risk due to frequent catheter use and compromised immunity.

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  🔍 Likely Causes of Increased UTIs

  1. Prolonged Indwelling Catheter Use

     • Longer duration increases bacterial colonization risk.
       (CDC, 2021)

  2. Poor Catheter Insertion & Maintenance Practices

     • Non-sterile techniques and lack of hygiene increase infection.
       (Meddings et al., 2019)

  3. Inadequate Staff Training

     • Inconsistent knowledge of infection control protocols.
       (Lo et al., 2014)

  4. Underutilization of Alternative Methods

     • Catheters often used unnecessarily instead of non-invasive options.
       (Gould et al., 2017)

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  💡 Prevention & Reduction Strategies

  ✅ Minimize Catheter Use

  • Apply “catheter necessity checklist” daily.

  • Avoid catheter use unless absolutely indicated.

  ✅ Use Aseptic Insertion Technique

  • Only trained staff should insert catheters with sterile technique.

  • Hand hygiene before and after handling.

  ✅ Daily Catheter Care & Review

  • Clean insertion site with antiseptic.

  • Assess catheter need every 24 hours.

  ✅ Early Removal Protocols

  • Implement nurse-led removal orders based on patient status.

  ✅ Education & Training

  • Conduct regular staff in-services and simulation training.

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  📊 Impact of Implementation

  📉 Studies show up to 50% reduction in catheter-associated UTIs with bundled prevention approaches.
  (Meddings et al., 2019)

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  📚 References (APA Style)

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). https://www.cdc.gov/hai/ca_uti/uti.html

  • Gould, C. V., Umscheid, C. A., Agarwal, R. K., Kuntz, G., & Pegues, D. A. (2017). Guideline for prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infections 2009. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 31(4), 319–326. https://doi.org/10.1086/651091

  • Lo, E., Nicolle, L. E., Coffin, S. E., Gould, C., Maragakis, L. L., Meddings, J., … & Yokoe, D. S. (2014). Strategies to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections in acute care hospitals: 2014 update. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 35(5), 464–479. https://doi.org/10.1086/675718

  • Meddings, J., Saint, S., & Greene, M. T. (2019). The Ann Arbor Criteria for Appropriate Urinary Catheter Use in Hospitalized Medical Patients. BMJ Quality & Safety, 28(8), 666–673. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2018-008545