This continuing-education offering is provided by The Nursing Institute in cooperation with Kendall.
Infectious organisms can flourish anywhere in the urinary tract.
Generally, they enter the urethra and travel upward, but not always. Some begin with a systemic infection. Others start during pregnancy when the expanding uterus puts pressure on the urinary tract and makes it more vulnerable to infection. Still others start because urinary stasis or diabetes turns urine into a breeding ground for bacteria. In this article, I'll review who's at risk for UTI, how to assess for the condition, how to identify its types and causes, and what interventions you can use to help your patient combat the infection.