Effect of a Multimodal Educational Intervention on Use of Urinary Catheters in Hospitalized Individuals

Background/Objectives: Urinary catheters are frequently used in hospital inpatients despite their association with greater morbidity and mortality. Reducing their unnecessary use can improve patient care. The objective of the current study was to determine the effectiveness of a multimodal nursing and physician education intervention to reduce the unnecessary use of urinary catheters in adult inpatients. Design: Quasi-experimental interrupted time series study. Setting: General internal medicine and surgical services of a large urban teaching hospital. Participants: Admissions to the services under study during the study period (September 2009 to February 2013) (N = 21,550). Intervention: A multimodal educational intervention incorporating educational posters, small-group teaching sessions, and changes to the hospital's electronic health records and nursing clinical documentation systems were introduced to nurses and physicians. Measurements: Mean catheter days per patient (CDPP) and incidence of urinary catheterization, measured at monthly intervals throughout the study period. Results: A decrease in mean CDPP of 5.6 and 6.5 days (P < .001) respectively was observed on the medical and surgical services following the intervention. The monthly incidence of catheterization decreased by 3.0 percentage points on medical units and 6.4 percentage points on surgical units immediately after the intervention, from an average of 14.5% and 15.0%, respectively, before the intervention. Similar degrees of improvement were observed for individuals of all ages, although older adults remained more likely to be catheterized. The effect persisted over nearly 3 years of observed follow-up. Conclusions: A relatively simple multimodal educational intervention targeting nurses and physicians resulted in a significant and sustained reduction in CDPP and the proportion of participants catheterized.