UTI protocol

[tlboulanger]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

What I am trying to figure out is if there are acute care facilities out there that have nurse driven protocols to screen for potential UTI present on admission. I'd like to know if any facility uses flow sheets to identify a patient who is highly at risk for having a UTI present, and allows either nursing or UAP staff to perform a dipstick test or send a sample to the lab without physician orders. How are you avoiding unnecessary antibiotic use in patients with asymptomatic bacteruria? How is the increased work load handled? Who is this task delegated to? What have been the pros and cons?