Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the commonest infections seen in primary and secondary care and consequently are often treated with antibiotics. However, recently there has been an increasing amount of evidence highlighting the problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics commonly used to treat UTI. This makes diagnosis and treatment even more critical. Diagnosis of a UTI can be difficult, especially in elderly patients, and poses many challenges for nurses, including those working in the community, particularly in nursing and residential homes. This article examines the adoption of a chemical indicator dipstick test. This demonstrated good correlation with urine culture results and was seen as a useful additional tool to assist in the diagnosis of UTI, especially in those patients where urine samples may be more difficult to capture.
