Catheter-Related Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) (Databases)

Catheter-Related Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) (Databases)

Catheter-related urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is a type of urinary tract infection that affects hospitalized individuals with indwelling catheters. The condition occurs as a result of the inoculation of organismS within the urethral catheters (Saint et al., 2016). The organisms are inoculated into the bladder thereby causing mucosal irritation and bacterial adhesion. The presence of an indwelling urinary catheter among hospitalized individuals is thus a risk factor for bacterial infection (Barbadoro et al., 2015). Addressing the problem requires adherence to evidence-based guidelines on the appropriate measures of managing patients with indwelling catheters to help minimize the risk of UTI.

Various databases present evidence that supports appropriate interventions essential in the provision of care for patients with indwelling catheters to prevent UTI. One of the databases that can be utilized by a newly hired nurse in understanding the interventions critical in preventing CAUTI is PubMed. The database is rich in evidence related to biomedical topics and life sciences. PubMed is often used as a search engine for the MEDLINE database.

The other database that can be utilized in gaining insights about nursing interventions that prevent CAUTI among patients with indwelling catheters is CINAHL Plus with Full Text. The database covers evidence-based information related to nursing and allied health. Besides, newly hired nurses and other healthcare professionals can utilize the Cochrane library to access evidence-based data that is related to the provision of care for hospitalized patients with indwelling catheters. The database provides independent medical evidence which the new nurse can base on clinical treatment decisions.

MEDLINE through Ovid is another database that can provide evidence-based information relating to interventions that are essential in managing patients with indwelling catheters to prevent CAUTI. The database covers various fields such as medicine, nursing, dentistry, and health care systems. The database provides credible evidence that informs nursing practice and keeps the healthcare professionals updated on the changes associated with evidence-based practice.

It is essential to use keywords when searching for any evidence-based data in the presented databases. An ideal search method makes it possible for a nurse to access relevant information regarding the topic of interest.  The search terms that can be used in the topic of interest include ‘catheter-related urinary tract infection’ or ‘the effects of indwelling catheters in hospitalization.’ It is of the essence for the newly hired nurse to understand the importance of searching for current evidence (published in the last 5 years) as it is deemed relevant.

References

Saint, S., Greene, M. T., Krein, S. L., Rogers, M. A., Ratz, D., Fowler, K. E., … & Faulkner, K. (2016). A program to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infection in acute care. New England Journal of Medicine, 374(22), 2111-2119.

Barbadoro, P., Labricciosa, F. M., Recanatini, C., Gori, G., Tirabassi, F., Martini, E., … & Prospero, E. (2015). Catheter-associated urinary tract infection: Role of the setting of catheter insertion. American Journal of infection control, 43(7), 707-710.