Keizzie Collins
UTI
June 6, 2011
Mrs. Kern

The urinary tract is a body filtering system, that helps get rid of unwanted waste (Berkowits, 2007). A UTI can occur anywhere in genitourinary tract (Berkowitz, 2007). Although infectious agents can enter via hamatogenously into the urinary tract, most infections will start at the urethra then ascend (Berkowits, 2007). Most predisposing factor for an UTI includes catheterization, congenitally abnormalities of the genitourinary system or because of neurologic dysfunction in the bladder (Berkowitz, 2007). If a patient has a secondary spinal cord injury or diabetic neuropathy their susceptible to UTIs also (Berkowits, 2007). Women are more prone to getting UTIs than men, simply due to having a shorter urethra (Timby, 2010). Escherichia coli cause about 80% of all UTIs (Swearingen, 2008). Women experience more problems with Staphylococcus saprophyticus then any other type of bacteria (Swearingen, 2008). The bacteria survive by the dark moist warm environment in the urinary tract (Swearing, 2008). The urinary tract is created to keep out unwanted microscopic invaders, which does not always take action (Swearingen, 2008).
The symptoms of an UTI can vary from person to person. A UTI depends on the patient, age, sex and where the infection is located. Most people experience dysuria, urinary frequency or urgency, back pain, difficulty walking, foul smelling urine (Timby, 2010). The color of the urine also can appear cloudy and have blood in it (Timby, 2010). Elderly patients may have signs of fever, lethargy, AMS, or pain (Swearingen, 2008).

Urinalyses can be obtained from a clean catch urine specimen or from a foley catheter specimen (Timby, 2010). A dip stick will determine if any leukocyte esterase or nitrate are in the urinary specimen (Swearingen, 2008). When a patient has multiply problems dealing