Nursing Observation Paper

I currently work in a Mother/Baby Labor and Postpartum Unit at a military treatment facility located in Hawaii. The majority of all our patients request an epidural to assist with the pain of childbirth. Since the patients are numb from the waist down, we insert a urinary catheter to monitor output of all patients. The majority of our patients have increased swelling from the vaginal deliver and must keep the urinary catheter in place for additional days. Any of our patients receiving a cesarean section to deliver their baby, usually require hair removal. Due to the lack of funding, we often have to shave our patients instead of using surgical clippers.

Nursing Strategies for preoperative hair removal:

Goal: Use of surgical clippers
Out of the 1,013 cases, it was revealed that that patients who were shaven had an infection rate of 4.6% compared to 2.5% prepped with clippers. (Medscape) The numbers may seem insignificant, but now there will be additional cost for antibiotics.

Nursing Strategies to reduce the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infections:

Goal: Perform routine meatal care with soap and water during daily bathing.

Strategy:
Data will be provided to show why nurses should do meatal care daily. Cleaning the meatal surface with antiseptic solutions while a catheter is in place is ineffective for preventing CAUTI and not recommended.

Data from patient survey regarding if ADLs were performed will be provided.

Supporting data:
Cleaning the meatal surface with antiseptic solutions while a catheter is in place is ineffective for preventing CAUTI and currently not recommended.
To decrease the risk of infection the University of Michigan Health System implemented:
Using soap and water, wash around the meatus at the entry point of the foley catheter. Rinse well. Place a small amount of bacitracin ointment around the meatus. While you are in the hospital, this will be done 3 times a