Date of Graduation

Summer 8-12-2026

Document Access

Project/Capstone - Global access

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Program

MSN project

First Advisor

Jennifer Zesati

Abstract

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) remain among the most prevalent and preventable healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), contributing substantially to patient morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and healthcare expenditures. Most hospital-acquired UTIs are related to urinary catheters, and this burden costs the United States alone an estimated $340 to $450 million annually (Yang et al., 2022). CAUTIs are UTIs that occur in patients with indwelling urinary catheters. This quality improvement project aimed to increase adherence to existing bladder scanning protocols and strengthen urinary catheter care to prevent CAUTI. Baseline staff nurse knowledge was obtained, and reinterpretation of the facility’s existing protocols and bundles was used to provide targeted nursing education sessions over two weeks. Pre- and post-education surveys assessed nurses’ knowledge and confidence. Results were compared to assess the effectiveness of the implemented education. The overall combined knowledge and confidence scores improved by 6.1%, correlating with improvements in identifying dependent loops (DL) and bladder scanning protocol timing. There was an overall improvement in nurse knowledge and confidence of catheter care and urinary management through targeted education sessions. Continued investment in nurse education and protocol reinforcement is important for long-term sustainability and for closing the remaining gaps identified early on.

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