Transcript Catheter Apathy is a practice relic which has to go if we are to

National Surgical Quality Improvement Program
What if… we could stamp out 40%
of all hospital infections? Urinary
catheters are a major cause.
They are sterile but insertion
technique, handling and the time
they are insitu can cause
infection.
CATHETER
ACQUIRED
Urinary Tract
Infection
Catheter Apathy is a practice relic which
has to go if we are to optimize our patient
care. A foley catheter is a major invasive
device that must be respected if not feared.
Surgical services is working to eliminate
“Catheter Apathy” when caring for patients
with Foleys.
Another day,
another foley…
Relax, this is just a short educational show so that you
transport patients knowing that they are not being put at
great risk for urinary tract infection.
A urinary tract infection quite often translates into a 1-3.8 day length of
stay increase.
A Foley catheter is a
sterile (germ-free) tube
that is inserted through
the urethra and into the
bladder to drain urine.
The catheter has a small
balloon filled with
solution that holds the
catheter inside the
bladder.
All points of contact for a Foley catheter once in the urethra are
unfortunately parts of the urinary mucosa which is a lining of
special mucous cells creating an optimum environment in which
bacteria thrive. The mucosa is thin and highly vascular which makes
it vulnerable to breakdown and inflammation.
As a health care worker assisting
patients who sometimes have a catheter,
there are things you need to know.
Creating a doorway for infection
Considering the vulnerability of the catheterized patient to bacteria
and other pathogens. What do you think is the single most important
thing to do when working with a patient?
Urinary Catheter
If you thought “hand hygiene”
you would be right.
Hmmm…what else should you be
careful with?
Ouch!!! My mucosa
Be careful not to exert a pulling
force on the tubing. That is why
it is best to secure the tubing
with tape on the thigh.
What is this
tube
anyways?
All patients MUST have this tape
on the thigh to reduce mucosal
trauma and therefore UTIs.
Heavens to goodness!!!
Do not put the catheter bag on the floor and do not have the bag touch
the floor when hanging. Who knows what has been on the floor. It is
reasonable to assert stool or urine have been exactly there at one time in
the past and that there are bacteria present in the present.
Guess why it is not a good idea to
have the catheter bag above the
bladder?
Keep the bag below the bladder at
all times.
Bacterial Population Explosion
A chronically overfilled bag creates a party environment for bacteria.
Kinks and twists in the tubing can mean a blockage in the system.
Both scenarios can bring about a bacterial population explosion. Both
scenarios increase the chances for infection.
That wasn’t too bad was
it? All you have to do is
fill out the test and send
it back to the manager.