Question

A facility has identified an increase in healthcare-associated urinary tract infections (UTIs) on a 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?

A) Implementing a new protocol for catheter insertion
B) Educating staff on proper hand hygiene techniques
C) Reviewing and analyzing data on recent UTI cases
D) Placing all affected clients on prophylactic antibiotics

Answer 1

The first step in addressing the increase in healthcare-associated UTIs in a medical-surgical unit is to review and analyze data on recent UTI cases to identify causative factors and inform the subsequent improvement steps.

Step-by-step explanation:

The initial step in addressing the increase in healthcare-associated urinary tract infections (UTIs) on a medical-surgical unit should be C) Reviewing and analyzing data on recent UTI cases. Before implementing new protocols or interventions, a thorough analysis of the existing data provides insight into the underlying causes and patterns associated with the UTIs.

It assists in identifying any gaps in current practices and formulates an evidence-based approach to tackle the issue. Once the data is reviewed, causative factors can be pinpointed, and targeted actions such as revising catheter insertion protocols or enhancing staff education on hand hygiene can be more effectively applied.