Running head: EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE TASK 2
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Evidence Based Practice and Applied Nursing Research
XAP1—Task 2
Blanca C. Lopez
Western Governors University
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE TASK 2
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Evidence Based Practice and Applied Nursing Research
XAP1—Task 2
A1. Healthcare Problem
Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections, CAUTIs, are increasingly being reported at
hospitals nationwide, even worldwide. “Today, healthcare-associated infections are considered a
major public health problem by the World Health Organization (WHO),” (Menegueti et al.,
2019). “Approximately 70% of the urinary tract infections (UTIs) associated with medical care
are thought to be related to urinary catheters and this value rises to 95% in intensive care units,”
(Dehghanrad et al., 2019).
A2. Significance of Problem
A hospitalized adult doesn’t usually want to be at the hospital for longer than necessary.
He/she especially doesn’t want to stay because of something that was placed to help them during
their course of treatment. This is something that needs to be kept in the forefront of nurses when
they have patients with Foley catheters. CAUTIs can increase the length of stay for individuals,
keeping them away from their home environment where they can continue to health from
whatever led them to be hospitalized in the first place. “Each day a catheter is left in place, the
patient risk for a CAUTI increases by 5%,” (Maxwell, Murphy, and McGettigan, 2018).
“Annually, an estimated 13,000 deaths are attributed to CAUTIs. In addition, they are the leading
cause of secondary bloodstream infections,” (Ferguson, 2018).
A3. Current Practice
Current practice includes insertion of indwelling urinary Foley catheters for patients who
are critically ill and whose urine output needs to be monitored closely. In some instances,
patients who require immobility or have wounds that would be affected by urinary incontinence
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE TASK 2
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also have indwelling Foley catheter placed. Included in current practice would be how nurse
driven protocols are being used for insertion and maintenance of Foley catheters.
A4. Impact on Background
Non-compliance with Foley catheter protocols can affect the workplace culture as it can
cause an increase on pressure from infection control staff towards staff nurses. “Catheter
associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) put an unnecessary burden on patients and… cause
an increased financial burden on health care facilities,” (Galiczewski, 2016). In some cases,
nurses feel they cannot remove Foley catheters without first discussing it with the physician even
when nurse driven protocols are in place and support a nurse when removing an unneeded Foley
catheter. According to Durant (2017), “the American Medical Association has expressed
opposition to expanding the scope of practice of medical professionals other than physicians.
