KEY POINTS
n 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
n Diagnosis of CAUTI remains a considerable challenge for clinical staff—
asymptomatic bacteriuria is frequently misdiagnosed as CAUTI, resulting in
inappropriate use of antibiotics
n Quality improvement (QI) is a complex intervention that typically involves a
number of inter-related components
n 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