Nurse-led UTI service provides consistent care and reduces pressure on consultant clinics

Abstract

Objectives: To publish the five-year outcomes of the nurse-led urinary tract infection (UTI) clinic, which is the first-ever outpatient nurse-led service for women with recurrent urinary tract infections. Materials and Methods: This report is on a single UK centre review of outcomes including patients seen in a nurse-led UTI clinic between January 2017 and December 2021. Results: A total of 1425 patients were audited. The median wait from referral time was 18 weeks. Standard ultrasound of kidneys, ureter and bladder (KUB) was offered to most patients which detected an abnormality in 17.5% (n = 240/1374) of scans, and flexible cystoscopy (selective) was positive in 11.9% (n = 46/386) mainly for benign pathologies. At 6 months, 80.6% of patients were discharged, with only 10.9% of patients requiring referral to the consultant urology clinic. Four urothelial cancers were picked up in the absence of red-flag symptoms on the referral, each one much quicker than the average wait for general consultant clinics at the point of referral. Conclusions: A well-run, protocol-driven nurse-led UTI clinic provides consistent care to women with recurrent UTIs. More than 80% of patients can be successfully discharged at 6 months which reduces pressure on consultant clinics. Level of evidence: Not applicable