Nurse’s Knowledge, Attitude And Practice Regarding Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections Prevention

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18344481

Abstract

Background: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) represent a significant healthcare challenge globally, particularly in intensive care units, contributing to patient discomfort, increased healthcare costs and potential life-threatening complications. Nurses play a critical role in CAUTI prevention through meticulous catheter care. However, there remains a gap between their knowledge and practical application. This study aimed to assess nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, ad practices concerning CAUTI prevention at Arif Memorial Teaching Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.

Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional design, employing a structured research tool to collect data from nurses working in a tertiary care hospital. A convenience random sampling method was employed to select 122 staff nurses. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 27 facilitated data analysis, incorporating descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results:  The study revealed several key correlations related to catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) prevention among nurses. While there was a weak, non-significant negative correlation between Knowledge Score and Attitude Score (r = -0.108, p = 0.235), a strong positive correlation was found between Attitude Score and Practice Score (r = 0.906, p <0.01), indicating that positive attitudes corresponded with better implementation of preventive measures. Knowledge Score and Practice Score showed a weak, non-significant negative correlation (r = -0.077, p = 0.400), suggesting knowledge alone does not guarantee effective practice. Additionally, age correlated moderately positively with job experience (r = 0.555, p<0.01) and weakly positively with qualification (r = 0.293, p < 0.01), while qualification and job experience were moderately correlated (r = 0.334, p < 0.01). These findings highlight the complex dynamics influencing CAUTI prevention practices among nurses.

Conclusion:  The study emphasizes the urgency of addressing the knowledge-practice gap in CAUTI prevention among nurses to improve patient safety and healthcare quality. Multifaceted interventions are essential, including ongoing education, standardized protocol implementation, regular feedback mechanisms strong nursing leadership, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Closing this gap is crucial for reducing the burden of CAUTIs on healthcare systems and enhancing patient outcomes.