West Orange—Daughters of Israel participated in a training course under the Healthcare Research and Educational Trust of NJ (HRET), a program of the NJ Hospital Association (NJHA) Institute for Quality and Patient Safety, to reduce HAI/CAUTIs (healthcare-associated infection/catheter-associated urinary tract infections), a common issue in older adults, particularly those in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. As a result of its participation, Daughters of Israel achieved a zero CAUTI rate for six months, which means that not one resident contracted a CAUTI within that time period.
Dr. Joshua Schor, medical director at Daughters of Israel, served as chief medical advisory to the NJHA on the CAUTI program, which is part of a broader national initiative. He remarked, “The ability to participate in this nationwide study of UTIs is really part of a broader look at what we call antibiotic stewardship. The overuse or misuse of antibiotics across the healthcare spectrum is one of the major themes in continuous quality improvement. Stewardship means getting the balance of antibiotic use correct again. Exposure to unnecessary antibiotics in the frail elderly is just as important as in the pediatric age group!”
Dr. Schor continued, “Through our participating in the CAUTI study, we were able to revamp at least two of our infectious disease protocols and cut down considerably on unnecessary cultures and the use of contact precautions. This allows our residents to lead a more regular, less ‘medical’ life while here at Daughters of Israel. The continued improvement in rational use of antibiotics was a rewarding outcome for Daughters as it was for all participants in NJ and the country. Many thanks to Lydia Stanislaus, our assistant director of nursing, and Ann Berry, director of nursing, for their strong contributions to this end!”
The 10-month rigorous training program administered by the HRET consisted of initial interdepartmental surveys, staff training, analysis of monthly reports and recommendations. According to Lydia Stanislaus, assistant director of nursing, “Both licensed and non-licensed staff participated in our culture survey. Our results were exceptional. The program has directly impacted the safety of our residents and their quality of life.”
As a result of the training, new techniques were introduced to diagnose, evaluate and prevent CAUTIs. Daughters of Israel has received a certificate of achievement for successfully completing the course and its requirements, in addition to receiving the certificate of achievement from the HRET for its zero CAUTI rate for a six-month duration.
According to Ann Berry, Director of Nursing at Daughters of Israel, “I feel confident that the Home will experience the same degree of success in the future with CAUTI prevention, as the new initiatives have been incorporated into the Home’s daily HAI prevention protocols.”
