Reducing Risk Factors for CAUTI by Eliminating the Basin

Basins used for bathing “frequently harbour pathogens associated with nosocomial infection.”1 By eliminating the basin, you also eliminate the bath water, which often contains a high bacteria count similar to the number in urine from patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs).2 Basin bathing is also a proven risk factor for catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs).3

Basin sampling has proved that the basin is a reservoir for bacteria.

This education section will help you address patient skin integrity issues, eliminate potential bath water contamination, and empower all levels of staff to observe and report changes during daily bathing.

These unique tools will help you implement an evidence-based protocol and track progress on everything from skin breakdown, to staff compliance, to costs.

REFERENCES: 1. Marchaim D, et al., Hospital bath basins are frequently contaminated with multi-drug resistant human pathogens. Poster presented at SHEA 21st Annual Scientific Meeting, April 2011. 2. Shannon RJ, et al., J Healthcare Safety, Compliance & Infection Control. Apr 1999;3(4):180-4. 3. Stone S, et al., Removal of bath basins to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections. Poster presented at APIC 2010, New Orleans, LA, July 2010.

Hospital bath basins are frequently contaminated with multidrug-resistant human pathogens
Marchaim D, Taylor AR, Hayakawa K, et al.
American Journal of Infection Control Aug 2012
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Patients’ Bath Basins as Potential Sources of Infection: A Multicenter Sampling Study
Debra Johnson, Lauri Lineweaver, and Lenora M. Maze
American Journal of Critical Care Jan 2009;18(1):31-40.
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Interventional Patient Hygiene (IPH): case study at the bedside
McGuckin M, Shubin A – University of Pennsylvania, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehab, Philadelphia, PA
Presented at the American Professional Wound Care Association National Conference, Philadelphia, PA, April 2007.
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Unleashing the Positive Deviants at the Frontline: More than Just Sparking Change
Crump M, Bryce E, Ko S, Busto G
Poster presented at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control & Epidemiology (APIC), San Antonio, TX, June 2012
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Guidelines for environmental infection control in health-care facilities: recommendations of CDC and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC)
Sehulster L, Chinn RYW
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MMWR 2003;52 (No. RR-10):5,14.
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