Efforts to Use the Direct Observation Model to Ensure Compliance with Urinary Catheter Care Protocols

Catheter associated urinary catheter infections (CAUTIs) remain a target by national organizations as preventable healthcare-associated infections in acute care hospitals. We previously reported our attempt to evaluate the care and maintenance of indwelling urinary catheters through two day prevalence surveys at our 3 division, 1,491 bed teaching hospital, following an increase in CAUTI rates. Five of 8 indicators of care had compliance rates above 90%. The remaining 3 indicators of care did not achieve the target goal of 80% or higher compliance.