Intervention to reduce unnecessary urinary catheter use in a large academic health science centre: A one-group, pretest, posttest study with a theory-based process evaluation

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate an intervention to reduce unnecessary urinary catheter use and prevent catheter-associated urinary-tract infections (CAUTI) in hospitalized patients across an academic health science centre. Methods: We conducted a one-group, pretest, posttest study with a theory-based process evaluation. Phase 1 consisted of a pre/postintervention to test the impact of a CAUTI protocol. Audits on four units were conducted, and data were analysed descriptively. Phase 2 consisted of a theory-based process evaluation to understand the barriers/enablers to the implementation. Semistructured interviews were conducted and then analysed using a systematic approach. Results: In Phase 1, all inpatients with urinary catheters admitted to the units (N = 4) during the study period (N = 99, pre) and (N = 99, post) were included. CAUTI prevalence rate was 18.2% pre versus 14.1% post (p =.563). In Phase 2, participants (N = 18) who worked on the units were interviewed, and a total of 13 barriers and 19 enablers were found.