AHRQ study finds lack of skills among nurses on urinary catheter use, specimen collection

Editor's Note

Key skills may be lacking among nurses who treat patients with urinary catheters, finds this study funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Of 394 nurses surveyed, 76.1% reported receiving education on catheter-associated urinary tract infection risk reduction in the last 12 months.

Though 83% said they never collect urine sampled by draining directly from the drainage bag, only 58.4% believed their peers were compliant with the standard.

Knowledge on when to obtain urine cultures was poor, even for nurses who considered themselves adequately informed.