Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary Tract Infection

The Urinary tract infections are identified as the most prevalent infections in out-patient facilities. The rate is particularly higher amongst the elderly. Although some health practitioners take the necessary measures to contain the infections, the majority fails to play their parts. The paper presents four diversified pieces of research carried both in the home cares and the nursing home. Sophia Viner et al aimed at deriving a positive input of an education program in the intervention of Urinary tract infections. It concluded that the professionals need ample training to take additional measures in reducing UTI amongst the elderly. A similar observation is held by Anne-Marie Aziz displaying the vulnerability of the elderly in the care homes. It, however, goes ahead to call for education to patients on the need to take precautionary measures. Eventually, Paul Simpson’s research persuades health specialists to adopt hygiene in the catheterization procedures. They, as a result, ought to adhere to the manufacturers’ guidelines.

Literature review

The Effect of an Educational Intervention

Sophia Viner et al identified urinary tract infections as prevalent amongst patients in long-term care facilities. The research question was: Does an education intervention improve UTI knowledge among nursing staff employed in a long-term care facility? As a result, research was undertaken to determine the role of an educational intervention program in minimizing the cases. The potential participants amounted to 40 while only 21 submitted their responses. The research was quantitative relying on the outsourcing of primary data through questionnaires. Questionnaires were in this case prepared to entail 2 dichotomous items and 9 multiple-choice questions. As a way of identifying the effect of academic intervention, the questionnaires were administered both before and after the programs. The education programs covered the definition and the peril factors affiliated to the UTI. They further assessed the structures of both the asymptotic and symptomatic bacteriuria while assessing their difference. As a result, the candidates were equipped with the knowledge on physical changes in the UTI as well as the treatment. The programs were administered in two long-term care facilities in the United States. It was observed that the usage of antibiotics and levels of documented UTI reduced by 5%. It was, however, noted there were higher rates of absenteeism during the program in allegation of pre-occupation. Most of the participants were also knowledgeable in that field hence altering the results of the intended study. The research concluded that UTI infections are prevalent amongst the elderly. It would thus be necessary to train health professionals on the symptoms and intervention measures amongst the elderly population. Nicholas Castle et all on the contrary identified facility factors as players in contributing to increased infection. It thus additionally recommends that some issues like the bed capacities need to be attended.

Infections in care homes pose a threat to the elderly

Anne-Marie Aziz, research was based on a hypothesis that the vulnerability of individuals in care homes poses risks of UTI infections fundamentally amongst the elderly. The research question intended to respond to the input played by the various stakeholders in maintaining hygiene in the care homes. It also meant to develop a comparison of the various infections amongst the victims in such facilities. As a result, the research was rather qualitative in that it relied on diversified data. A catheter assessment, for instance, identified that 40% of the victims were identified to bear the Escherichia Coli bacteria. The research also identified the input of respiratory infections where it was identified that they greatly contribute to the distribution of the virus through sneezing and coughing. Controlling influenza is also identified as a key factor in regulating severe infection. Conclusively it is observed that Urinary tract infections result from complex interactions of infections amongst the care homes stakeholders. As identified in the previous research, it was further identified that the elderly are more vulnerable to UTI due to reduced immunities. It is recommended that the health care providers should as a result maintaining hygiene amongst both themselves and the patients. The patients should also be educated on the hygiene and other precautionary measures they need to put in place.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) in the nursing home setting

Nicholas Castle et al research took a diverse analysis of the factors associated with the diagnosis of the UTI in the nursing home setting. The research assessed 1,128,418 United States residents who had no cases of UTI yet they contracted in the year 2006. A model was however build based on either the contraction or termination of the period of the disease. The data was qualitatively obtained from Online Survey and MDS database for the assessments of nursing homes. The reliability of the MDS database was based on the requirement by both the Medicare and Medicaid holders to use the program at least at some point in either an admission or upon showing fundamental changes. A Cox proportional hazards model was eventually used in the data analysis. It is effective based on consideration of the discrete data up to contraction of the infection as well as the continuous aspect of the time before contracting the infection. Based on a reduced 6.1% cases of catheter-based contractions, assessment for non-catheters was carried out separately. It was observed that the prevalence amongst the indwelling catheters were 10% higher to the 8.9% case for non-dwelling catheters. Again the majority of indwelling catheters were aged below 65 years with a gender balance at 42.7%. It was eventually concluded that the development of UTI infections is affiliated to both facility-based and personal factors. The prevalence amongst those with indwelling catheters was however twice that of those without. The chances of developing the infections while at the facilities were however constant amongst all the participants. The health assistants were recommended to observe facility factors including reduced bed capacities. Personal factors like addiction behaviours are also essential in identifying the vulnerable individuals.

Long-tern Urethra Cathetarisations

Paul Simpson’s research intended to identify the optimal utilization of catheterization to reduce cases of Urinary infections. A research question was thus adopted: Which are the of safe Practice for catheterization in the community setting, to provide safe patient assessments? The analysis was rather qualitative through a Description; analysis of the experimental and reported medical historical data. An assessment of instillation of a catheter is thus undertaken bearing in mind the special requirement for the vulnerable groups like bradycardia and the epileptic. Before the urethral catheterization, the meatus also needs to be sterilized with either sterile or saline water. Besides the patients’ history of symptomatic UTI, a patients catheter should be subjected to an antibiotic, a factor that was found to be missing in most of the cases. The choice of the equipment is further dictated by the gender where the average for men is 40 cm compared to 25 for women. Despite the manufacturers’ indications, it was observed that the health specialists mostly deviate. They are however required to adhere to the instructions depending on the material content of the catheter. A hydrogen or silicone coated catheter should, for instance, be sustained for 12 weeks. It need to however be subjected to regular sterilization. The research concluded that health professionals can reduce incidences of catheter-associated UTI by carrying out precautionary measures. Such measures include regular wash off hands and sterilization of the catheters before instillation in the patients.

Conclusion

Urinary tract infections are caused by the complex transmission of bacterium until they get into the urinary system. The general hygiene adopted by health specialist is however essential in determining the fate of catheterized medications. Besides, some personal factor-like addiction behaviours also increases the chances of contracting the infections, especially in the nursing care homes. Research also indicates that an education program amongst health specialists would improve service delivery in mitigating UTI. Special attention should, however, be directed towards the elderly since they are identified as vulnerable groups.