Problem Statement
Hospital-acquired infections are a challenge that continues to affect many patients globally. These are infections that are acquired during the patient’s stay in the hospital. These infections can be transmitted from one person to another, or acquired from the type of treatment a patient receives (Sikora & Zahra, 2020). These infections contribute to lowered immunity, and the increased hospital stay of patients. This study will focus on the catheter-associated urinary tract infection. This is a type of infection that arises as a result of using catheters. It is one of the most common types of hospital-acquired infections. The research will specifically narrow down to ICU patients because they use catheters consistently. Infections as a result of catheters occur due to trauma and prolonged use. These infections are associated with the long-term development of chronic illnesses; they affect the patients’ socioeconomic lives and contribute to the increased use of antibiotics. Such increased antibiotic use may result in antibiotic resistance (Letica-Kriegel et al., 2019). This study investigates the various risk factors associated with Catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) for patients in the ICU (Saleem et al., 2022). Many risk factors predispose patients to infections. It is essential to understand them and the strategies that are in place for prevention. Through this study, it will be easy to come up with the specific risk factors of CAUTI, their effects on patients, and the outcomes for patients in the ICU. The study will follow an exploratory method of explaining UTI’s different strategies and impacts on ICU patients. It will also provide the statistics involved in previous studies, which indicate the statistics of CAUTI among ICU patients, and the various risk factors that could lead to an increased prevalence.
Research Questions
Risk factors associated with CAUTI among ICU patients
The study aims to investigate the risk factors associated with Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections among ICU patients. ICU patients are exposed to infections because 80% require a catheter. These patients require the use of catheters due to their medical conditions. Additionally, these patients may use catheters for a long time, exposing them to these infections. Therefore, this study will be guided by the following questions.
- What are the risk factors associated with Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection among ICU patients?
- What strategies exist in preventing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract infections among ICU patients?
- What improvement is required for the existing strategies to prevent Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections among ICU patients?
The first question is to investigate the various risk factors that are associated with Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract infections among ICU patients. This specific question will provide the answers to determinants of UTI among ICU patients. Identifying these determinants is essential in order to work towards the prevention of UTI among ICU patients. The second question aims to investigate the existing strategies that have been put in place to reduce the chances of catheter-based infections. These strategies should be adequate to ensure they reduce the chances of infection among patients. The third question focuses on understanding the improvements of these strategies to ensure they are effective in managing and preventing these infections. The answers to these questions will offer insight on the importance of managing infections among ICU patients, and strategies that can be effectively applied to manage identified infections.
Methodology
The study will use qualitative research methods, including collecting non-numerical data. Qualitative research methods are used when the research seeks to identify the study participants’ perspectives, attitudes, and experiences. In this case, qualitative methods will be used to get the experiences of ICU patients and nurses at the ICU (Busetto et al., 2020). The study will focus on patients in the ICU who have used catheters and have had an infection before. The study will also engage nurses since nurses are responsible for taking care of patients in the ICU. This gives them adequate information regarding patients who have had an infection due to catheterization.
Data Collection Tools
The study will use in-depth semi-structured interviews as a data collection method. The study participants will be nurses and ICU patients. Interviews are used to collect in-depth information concerning the risk factors associated with CAUTI among ICU patients. The nurses will be expected to provide their insights and experiences with the patient’s experiences. The study will use 10 patients and 10 nurses selected through purposive sampling from the hospital of study. Interviews are compelling for use in the context of nurses and ICU patients because they allow the researcher to get the perceptions of individuals. Interviews will be conducted with individual nurses and patients, which will help in acquiring the desired results. Interviews in this context will provide valuable insights into patient-centered care in managing CAUTI in the ICU.