Preventing healthcare-associated infections when using urinary catheters

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) cause additional morbidity and in some instances mortality to patients. Avoiding HCAI is a major health priority and none is more vulnerable than an infant. Although the recently published national evidence-based guidelines for preventing infections associated with indwelling urethral catheters are focussed on adults and children over the age of one year, the principles are equally applicable to newborns and infants.