Question

A facility has identified an increase in health care-associated urinary tract infections (UTIs) on the medical-surgical unit. A nurse is participating in a quality improvement process to address this problem. Which of the following should be the first step in the process?

Option 1: Determine the effectiveness of planned interventions.

Option 2: Implement strategies to decrease the incidence of UTIs.

Option 3: Develop a plan that outlines the process for data collection.

Option 4: Establish best practice guidelines for reducing the incidence of UTIs

Answer 1

The first step in addressing the increase in health care-associated UTIs is to develop a plan that outlines the process for data collection. This step is crucial for understanding the issue, which will inform the establishment of best practices and the implementation of effective strategies.

Step-by-step explanation:

In addressing the increase of healthcare-associated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in a medical-surgical unit, the first step in the quality improvement process should be to collect and analyze data to understand the scope and root causes of the issue. Therefore, the correct first step is Option 3: Develop a plan that outlines the process for data collection. Data collection is foundational to inform all subsequent steps of the quality improvement process, including establishing best practices, implementing strategies, and determining the effectiveness of the interventions. After data is collected and analyzed, evidence-based best practice guidelines can be established, which subsequently inform the strategies for intervention. Only after these steps are taken can the effectiveness of the interventions be accurately assessed. UTIs are often treated with antibiotics, and identifying the causative agent in a UTI is vital to prescribe the right type of antibiotic, whether it's broad-spectrum or narrow-spectrum, hence tailoring the treatment specific to the infection.