A Chlorhexidine Gluconate Protocol to Decrease Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections: A Quality Improvement...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Infection Prevention and Control
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are a significant cause of increased healthcare costs and adverse patient outcomes.
• A specific Midwestern acute care hospital experienced a rise in CAUTI rates during the latter half of 2022.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the increasing CAUTI rates within a Midwestern acute care hospital.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a standardized chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing and catheter care protocol in reducing CAUTI incidence.

Main Methods:

• A quality improvement project guided by Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles.
• Implementation of staff education and coaching to transition from soap and water to CHG wipes for daily bathing and urinary catheter care in adult patients with indwelling catheters.

Main Results:

• A substantial 81.1% reduction in the CAUTI rate was observed following the protocol implementation.
• The CAUTI rate decreased from an average of 2.12 to 0.40.
• This significant reduction was sustained over a 24-month period.

Conclusions:

• A standardized CHG bathing and catheter care protocol is an effective strategy for reducing CAUTI rates in acute care settings.
• This intervention demonstrates a significant impact on minimizing CAUTI risk and improving patient safety.
• The findings support the widespread adoption of CHG protocols to combat CAUTI.