Catheter Care and CAUTI Prevention

An indwelling urinary catheter is a treatment device, not a substitute for toileting or routine observation. Its drainage lumen creates a route into the bladder, and the catheter surface can support biofilm, so infection risk rises with every day it remains in place. The safest nursing decision is therefore to question whether the catheter is still needed, preserve a closed unobstructed system when it is needed, and remove it promptly when the indication ends. Assessment findings determine whether routine care is appropriate or whether the patient needs urgent review for obstruction, infection, trauma, or sepsis.