Evaluation of a Novel Intervention to Reduce Unnecessary Urine Cultures in Intensive Care Units at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Maryland, 2011-2014

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2016 May;37(5):606-9. doi: 10.1017/ice.2016.9. Epub 2016 Feb 2.

Abstract

We assessed the impact of a reflex urine culture protocol, an intervention aimed to reduce unnecessary urine culturing, in intensive care units at a tertiary care hospital. Significant decreases in urine culturing rates and reported rates of catheter-associated urinary tract infection followed implementation of the protocol.

MeSH terms

  • Catheter-Related Infections / diagnosis
  • Catheter-Related Infections / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Infection Control / methods*
  • Intensive Care Units / organization & administration*
  • Maryland
  • Tertiary Care Centers
  • Unnecessary Procedures*
  • Urinalysis / trends*
  • Urinary Tract Infections / diagnosis
  • Urinary Tract Infections / epidemiology*