Impact of Nurse-Led Multidisciplinary Rounds on the Reducing of the Unnecessary Use of Urinary Catheters for Hospitalized Patients

Background: Duration of urinary catheterization (UC) constituted the main risk factor for healthcare associated urinary tract infections. Aim: To evaluate the need for UCs and the reduction of its unnecessary use. Method: A quality improvement intervention was conducted in a 75-bed community hospital in Dukhan (Qatar). Patients admitted from January to December 2015 were studied in selected inpatient wards (female, male and maternity wards). In a control group no modification of the current monitoring system was introduced, while in the intervention group regular multidisciplinary rounds with the participation of a catheter safety group were conducted to assess patients with Urinary catheters in place, and remove the unnecessary ones. UC utilization ratio (UR) was calculated on a monthly basis. Result: Fifty UC were evaluated of which 30 were in the intervention group. The main indication was the perioperative use (64%) followed by urinary retention (28%), and the need for immobilization (8%). UC was interrupted in the 33% of the patients. The UR in the control group showed higher figures compared with the intervention group, which showed the highest UR in Jan 2015 (0.09), with a sustained trend to reduction to figures below 0.05. No catheter associated urinary tract infections were reported in the intervention and control groups. Conclusion: The use of a multidisciplinary approach to evaluate the need for the urinary catheters by hospitalized patients led by nursing staff was associated with a reduction of their unnecessary use.