What is a Urinary Catheter?
An Indwelling Urinary Catheter is a drainage tube that is inserted into the urinary bladder through the urethra, is left in place, and is connected to urine collection bag. It can be made of latex as in Molicath and Silicone as in Molicath-Sil.
Other Types of Urinary Catheters
Intermittent catheterization involves short term insertion of a catheter into the bladder through the urethra to drain urine at intervals.
Condom catheters or external male catheters are the most commonly used. It is a soft flexible sheath that fits over the penis.
Suprapubic catheter is inserted into the bladder surgically through an incision above the pubis.
What is CAUTI?
An infection which involves the parts of the urinary system like the ureters, urethra, bladder and the kidney is known as Urinary Tract Infection and if the infection occurs due to an indwelling catheter it is known as Catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infection or CAUTI.
How will you know if you have CAUTI?
You may have
Lower abdominal pain
Bloody urine
Burning sensation while urinating
If you are on a urinary catheter and if you have any of the above symptoms
Contact your health care professional immediately
Can your healthcare professionals treat CAUTI?
Yes, first by removing the catheter and with the antibiotics.
How can you prevent CAUTI?
Ask the health care professional if the Catheter is needed (An indwelling catheter without a proper indication can lead to CAUTI)
Follow hand hygiene before and after touching the catheter.
Make sure that position of the urine collection bag is always below the level of the bladder.
Do not pull or kink the Catheter at any cost.
How can healthcare professionals prevent CAUTI
Insert catheters only when indicated and remove once the patient is able to void by themselves.
Follow sterile techniques while inserting the catheter.
Follow strict Catheter Care every day as per Infection control protocol of the institution.
Follow strict hand hygiene before and after handling the catheter.
Secure the catheter to the leg to prevent kinking and pulling.
Empty the urine collection bag regularly.
Reference
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/hai/ca_uti/uti.html