AHRQ Study Finds Lack of Training Among Nurses on Proper Urinary Catheter Use and Specimen Collection

Key skills may be lacking among many nurses who treat patients with urinary catheters, according to a recent AHRQ-funded study. The researchers found that recommended procedures to test for catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), a common hospital-associated infection, are not followed in many cases. Collecting specimens for urine culture is a key part of testing for CAUTI, requiring proper procedures for arriving at accurate results and keeping patients safe. Of 394 nurses studied, 76 percent reported receiving education on CAUTI risk reduction within the last 12 months. Almost half of the nurses did not believe that their peers comply with urine sample collection standards. This research indicates the importance of addressing both nursing competencies for obtaining urine cultures and nurses’ knowledge as to when the culture is indicated. The researchers concluded that nurses are not commonly evaluated on the skills of placing and maintaining urinary catheters. Read the abstract for “How and When Nurses Collect Urine Cultures on Catheterized Patients: A Survey of 5 Hospitals,” which appeared in the February 2016 issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.

How and when nurses collect urine cultures on catheterized patients: A survey of 5 hospitals. - PubMed - NCBI

2016 Feb 1;44(2):173-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2015.09.003. Epub 2015 Oct 20.

How and when nurses collect urine cultures on catheterized patients: A survey of 5 hospitals.

Jones K1, Sibai J2, Battjes R1, Fakih MG3.

Author information

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Obtaining a specimen for urine culture is a key element in evaluating for catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). Evaluating nurses' knowledge regarding appropriate reasons and methods to obtain urine culture specimens are the first steps to improving practice.

METHODS:

Nurses at 5 hospitals completed a 40-question survey regarding their knowledge, training, and practices of appropriate reasons for obtaining urine cultures. The survey included different scenarios of patients with urinary catheters and when they would expect to obtain urinecultures. A 12-point scoring system calculated responses regarding urine collection appropriateness.

RESULTS:

There were 394 nurses who responded to the survey. Of them, 76.1% reported receiving education on CAUTI risk reduction within the last 12 months. Although 327 (83%) of all nurses surveyed reported that they never collect urine samples by draining directly from the drainage bag, only 58.4% viewed others to be fully compliant with that standard (P < .001). Nurses who considered their knowledge to be above average to excellent had similar knowledge assessment scores (out of 12 points) for triggers to obtain urine cultures (mean score, 4.9 ± 1.72) compared with those that reported average to poor knowledge (mean score, 4.64 ± 1.78; P = .15).

CONCLUSIONS:

Important opportunities exist for nurses to optimize the decisions to obtain urine cultures and the process for obtaining them. Addressing nurses' knowledge and practice may lead to more appropriate use of urine cultures.