Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) lead to higher health care costs and adverse patient outcomes.
A Midwestern acute care hospital saw an increase in CAUTI rates from July to December 2022.
Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles guided this quality improvement project.
Staff education and coaching facilitated a change from daily bathing and urinary catheter care using soap and water to using chlorhexidine gluconate wipes for all adult patients with indwelling urinary catheters.
This change led to a substantial 81.1% reduction in the CAUTI rate, sustained over 24 months, decreasing from an average rate of 2.12 to 0.40.
Implementing a standardized chlorhexidine gluconate bathing and catheter care protocol significantly reduced CAUTI rates, suggesting it is an effective strategy for minimizing CAUTI risk in acute care settings.
Journal of nursing care quality. 2026 Apr 20 [Epub ahead of print]
Susan K Lilly, Nicole S Ragon, Shelly R Andre, Amanda L Tran
Author Affiliations: Medical Surgical Unit/Float Pool (Dr Lilly)., Critical Care Services (Mrs Ragon)., Quality and Patient Safety (Mrs Andre)., Medical Surgical Unit, CHI Health St. Elizabeth, Lincoln, Nebraska (Mrs Tran).