Date of Conferral

2018

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Trinity Ingram-Jones

Abstract

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) significantly increases patient morbidity and mortality, length of stay, and organizational cost. In the 2 years prior to project implementation, the incidence of CAUTI increased by 15% in the local acute care, inpatient facility that served as the project site. Nursing leaders at the project site linked the increase in CAUTIs to a nursing knowledge deficit related to CAUTI prevention principles. The clinical question focused on the impact of CAUTI prevention staff training on the incidence of CAUTI, length of stay, and cost to the local acute care organization. After a review and critical appraisal of the literature, using Lewin's theory of planned change and the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice Change, an evidence-based, CAUTI-prevention training program was piloted as a quality improvement initiative. The project purpose was to evaluate that initiative by tracking the incidence of CAUTI for 90 days postintervention. A 1-sample t-test of the mean incidence with a 95% confidence interval revealed no statistically significant (p = .732) decrease in the incidence of CAUTI. Similar initiatives with fewer than 12 months of evaluation data have failed to demonstrate statistically significant findings; therefore, additional data are needed to adequately assess the impact of the project. Recommendations include extending the pilot project and additional training of unlicensed nursing personnel. Proper evaluation of the project may provide support for the implementation of CAUTI-prevention training programs, promoting social change by reducing the rate of infection, improving patient outcomes, and demonstrating financial stewardship of the local acute-care organization.

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Nursing Commons

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