P08_NonCE - Female Urethral Catheterization: The Practicing Nurses’ Perception

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are mostly caused by instrumentation of the urinary tract and catheter contamination. While both male and female patients can suffer the consequences of inappropriate catheterization, the intricate anatomy of the female pelvic region makes them particularly susceptible to CAUTI. Specifically, the opening of the female urethra is located within the vulvar vestibule, making insertion of urinary catheters a greater technical challenge than in males. Consequently, most microorganisms causing CAUTI in females derive from the patient's own colonic and perineal flora. Previous studies have correlated the incidence of infections with the level of training of the nurses. This study has been designed to assess the perception of graduated practicing nurses regarding female urethral catheterization and the potential need for improvement of the catheterization technique. Nurses with different levels of professional experience were invited to answer a 14-question survey on their daily experience of female catheterization. One hundred seven participants working in hospitals and clinics in the urban and rural areas of Nebraska completed the survey. The resultant data was organized into categories (e.g., gender, age, number of years since graduation, type of nursing degree, type of nursing practice, etc.) and analyzed through a combination of descriptive statistics and nonparametric inferential statistics (chi-square and cross tabulation). Cross-tabulation was used to evaluate the relationship between categories. Chi-square test was used to identify potential associations between variables. Some results were also represented by frequencies and percentage. Among those that responded, 90% of nurses across all experience levels admitted using more than one catheter during the catheterization of females, at least once in a while. Similarly, 91% admitted that at least once in a while they needed the help of a second nurse during the catheterization of a woman. Significantly, over 90% of nurses across different levels of experience recognized the need for a device to help with female catheterization and to teach female catheterization to nursing students. Overall, our findings suggest that regardless of experience, nurses overwhelmingly recognized the troubles associated with catheterizing females and highlighted their willingness to try alternatives to aid in safer and efficient female urethral catheterization.