KEY POINTS
.. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) can have serious consequences for patients and is one of the harms priotised by the Scottish Patient Safety Programme
.. Diagnosis of CAUTI remains a considerable challenge for clinical staff asymptomatic bacteriuria is frequently misdiagnosed as CAUTI, resulting in inappropriate use of antibiotics
.. Quality improvement (QI) is a complex intervention that typically involves a number of interrelated components
.. A multi-faceted QI approach to catheter use and catheter care can reduce inappropriate catheter use and ensure the patient receives optimal research based care