5
Common HAIs and How You Can Help Prevent Them
Patients and their caregivers are important to helping to prevent infections.
In addition to keeping their hands clean, patients and caregivers can
support safe care by following all instructions from their healthcare team
and knowing how to recognize and prevent these six major healthcare-
associated infections (HAIs).
Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI)
A CAUTI is an infection caused by an indwelling urinary catheter, which
is a tube placed in the patient's bladder to drain urine. A urinary tract
infection (UTI) is an infection of the bladder or the kidneys. A urinary
catheter can cause a type of UTI called a catheter-associated urinary
tract infection (CAUTI).
Tell your a healthcare professional if you have:
• Fever
• Bladder or pelvic pain or tenderness
• Bladder fullness
• Bloody urine
• After catheter has been removed, persistent urge to pee, leaking pee,
or peeing in small amounts.
Follow the Steps to Prevent HAIs, and:
• Ask about other methods for bladder management.
• Ask when the catheter can be removed.
• Always keep the urine bag below the level of your bladder.
• Do not twist, tug, or pull on the catheter tubing.
• Notify a healthcare professional immediately if you notice the
catheter is leaking.
For caregivers, ask what instructions to follow or actions to take. Tell a
healthcare professional if you notice any symptoms or if you notice the
catheter is leaking.
