Preventing CAUTIs in the ICU Setting

Format: Four self-paced e-learning modules (each around one hour in length). After learners watched modules, lead nurse would have follow-up guided discussions on important points. End product included modules, Instructor's Guide, and job aids.

Audience: Bedside nurses and patient care techs in intensive care units

Context & Need: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are a persistent issue across all care modalities and affect patient outcomes. In general, CAUTI training was a brief in-service with minimal practice or real-world scenarios. The subject demanded lengthier examination that reinforced evidence-based catheter care, reduced variation in practice, and fit into busy clinical schedules.

Team & Collaboration: The piece was a collaboration between the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, the American Nursing Association, and Health Education Research and Trust. I worked closely with a nurse practitioner, two nurse educators, and an infection prevention specialist. I facilitated a kickoff meeting to clarify goals and constraints, then held focused working sessions to prioritize the most critical behaviors. Throughout development, I shared storyboards and prototypes for review, summarized feedback after each round, and incorporated SME edits to ensure both clinical accuracy and realistic scenarios.

Design Approach: Using an ADDIE-inspired process, I translated CAUTI guidelines and audit data into performance-based objectives (e.g., “Demonstrate correct catheter maintenance steps during routine patient care”). The modules consisted of slides with narration with structured scenarios where nurses made decisions about catheter insertion, maintenance, and timely removal. Each scenario provided immediate, supportive feedback with references to protocol and rationales. To support just-in-time use on the floor, I also included printable job aids summarizing insertion criteria and daily catheter necessity checks.

Outcomes: Post-course evaluations showed that learners felt more confident in applying CAUTI prevention protocols, and nurse educators reported more consistent language and expectations across units. The infection prevention specialist later adapted the scenario framework as a template for other device-related infection modules.