Reduction of urinary catheter days versus catheter irrigation Research Paper

Reduction of urinary catheter days versus catheter irrigation - Research Paper Example Inserted catheters form an entry point for microbes to colonize the patient’s rather sterile body.   â€Å"Following finite colonization, the risk rate of bacteriuria is estimated at (3-10) % per day. The invading microbes could be of low virulence but nonetheless they are no match for the body’s host defense system, which is compromised† (Nicolle 2012, p.13). The immune-comprised patients succumb to nosocomial infections and in this respect, catheter urinary tract infection (CAUTI). Underlying malignancies and therapeutic interventions e.g. corticosteroids, parenteral nutrition are recognized as risk factors.   The risk of suffering from nosocomial infections is mainly linked to duration of hospital stay. Multivariate analyses of evidence shows that catheters and implantable devices are risk factors for over 50% of patients with blood cultures that test positive for bacterial contamination.   Consequently the duration at which a patient has an inserted cat heter strongly predisposes him/her to contracting catheter-associated bacteriuria. However, even short-term use of catheters ranging from 3 to 11 days poses a risk of bacteriuria by up to 26%. Consequently, it is no wonder that bacteriuria develops in nearly all patients who have been catheterized for only 1 month. Of these patients who develop bacteriuria, the disease progresses to urinary tract infection (acteremia (Warren, 1997). This prompted the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to form stringent guidelines.... Consequently the duration at which a patient has an inserted catheter strongly predisposes him/her to contracting catheter-associated bacteriuria. However, even short-term use of catheters ranging from 3 to 11 days poses a risk of bacteriuria by up to 26%. Consequently, it is no wonder that bacteriuria develops in nearly all patients who have been catheterized for only 1 month. Of these patients who develop bacteriuria, the disease progresses to urinary tract infection (UTI) and the incidence of suffering bacteremia is about 5%. Hence, the prevalence of nosocomial CAUTI is 15% of the overall nosocomial bacteremia (Warren, 1997). Effective Catheter Management There is evidence on the overuse and misuse of catheters, and hence the prevalence of CAUTI. Evidence shows that catheters are used for unknown as well as unjustified medical conditions in about 20% of hospitalized patients. Moreover, this continued use of catheters is unnecessary for (0.3-0.5) % of catheterization days. This pro mpted the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to form stringent guidelines concerning the use of catheters. According to the CDC (2011), catheter use should be streamlined and removal of catheters should be done promptly after an appropriate duration of usage. Most important, health workers are required to be responsible and to avoid misuse of catheterization. Guidelines concerning approved techniques of catheter insertion and care were also issued. However, there has been poor adherence and implementation of these guidelines (Furfari & Wald, 2008). Catheter Use Several health conditions warrant the insertion of catheters. For instance, a case of acute urinary retention