Optimising Catheter Care

IDC-IMPROVE: The co-design, implementation and evaluation of a care bundle to improve indwelling catheter care (IDC) in residential aged care homes

The priority health care issue this grant addresses is the gap in current services across Australia to support people with a long-term indwelling catheter who live in a residential aged care home. Long-term catheter use is associated with high morbidity and places considerable demand on emergency services. This research will support the aged care workforce to address the needs of residents with catheters, consequently reducing problems associated with catheter use.

Goal

International estimates suggest 5–8% of people in residential aged care homes have a long-term indwelling urinary catheter (IDC). Although IDCs are potentially beneficial, long-term use is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Aged care residents with an IDC are three times more likely to die within a year than those without an IDC and the number of admissions to emergency departments (ED), admissions to hospital, duration of hospitalisation, and use of antimicrobial drugs are all three times greater among residents with an IDC. This research project will focus on translating best practice guidelines for the management of IDCs to practice in Australian residential aged care homes. It will be a two-staged mixed methods study characterised by: (i) a co-design stage to produce a targeted evidence based, fit-for-purpose catheter care bundle, and an implementation strategy, and (ii) a multi-centre, facility-level cluster randomised controlled trial, with parallel mixed methods process evaluation to evaluate the feasibility and impact of the bundle.