A charge nurse is concerned about a recent increase in facility-acquired catheter infections. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

A. Revise the current policy for catheter care: Policy changes should be based on identified causes and evidence-based practices. Revising procedures without understanding the root causes may lead to ineffective or unnecessary adjustments. B. Identify possible precipitating factors related to the infections: Conducting a root cause analysis is the first step in addressing a rise in infections. Identifying contributing factors helps determine targeted interventions that will be most effective in reducing catheter-associated infections. C. Schedule nursing staff training for infection control procedures: While staff education is important, it should follow a thorough assessment of why infections are occurring. Training that is not focused on specific problems may not address the underlying issue. D. Meet with providers to discuss measures to decrease the infections: Collaboration with providers is useful, but it should come after collecting data and identifying causes. This ensures that discussions are informed and can lead to more strategic interventions.