Knowledge on practice of urinary catheter care and compliance to urinary catheter care guidelines-A hospital based study

Background: Catheter associated urinary tract infections are the leading cause of secondary health care-associated bacteremia. An infection that involves any of the organs or structures of urinary tract infection including the kidneys, urethra, bladder and ureter is called as urinary tract infection. About 75% of urinary tract infections acquired in the hospital are because of the urinary catheters. Prolonged use of indwelling urinary catheter is one of the main risk of catheter associated urinary tract infection. Objective: To assess the knowledge on practice of urinary catheter care and compliance to urinary catheter care guidelines by the staff nurses. Materials and Method: Quantitative approach with descriptive survey design was used for the study. Staff nurses available during data collection and willing to participate were included. Purposive sampling technique was used to recruit the participants to assess the knowledge. By concealed observation practices of urinary catheter care were made to assess the compliance. Results: Majority 89(82.4%) of the participants had average knowledge, 18(16.7%) had good knowledge on prevention of catheter associated urinary tract infections. There was maximum noncompliance to the procedural steps while performing urine specimen collection, removal of urinary catheter and maintenance of urinary catheter. Conclusion: Nurses have to be aware of hospital policies and CDC guidelines in carrying out procedures like urinary catheter insertion, collection of urine specimens and maintenance of indwelling urinary catheter. Compliance of staff nurses is vital in reducing and preventing the occurrence of health care associated infection.