Which practice is a CAUTI prevention strategy in hospital care?

• A. Use indwelling catheter for as long as possible.
• B. Maintain a closed drainage system.
• C. Break the drainage system during movement.
• D. Reuse the same catheter after cleaning.

Answer: (B)

Maintaining a closed drainage system is a key measure to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections. When the drainage system stays closed, there’s less opportunity for bacteria to enter the urinary tract along the catheter. Breaks or disconnections in the system during movement or care give bacteria a route into the bladder, so keeping the system intact minimizes infection risk.

In contrast, keeping the catheter in place for as long as possible actually increases infection risk over time. Breaking the drainage system during movement creates a breach in sterility and introduces contamination, and reusing a catheter after cleaning also breaches sterile technique and elevates infection chances. These practices do not support CAUTI prevention.