Diagnosing urinary tract infections: an overview

Abstract

As ambulance services start to develop the role of the emergency care practitioner (ECP), ambulance crews need to understand the types of conditions that can now be referred to and treated by this new group of clinicians. This article sets out to demonstrate how ECPs can assist crews who are concerned that a patient may have a urinary tract infection (UTI), by highlighting the anatomy and physiology of the urinary tract, looking at the common causes of UTIs, showing how a practitioner would formulate a diagnosis and setting out current best treatment options. The article hope to show that by making informed referrals to ECPs the full benefit of the role can be achieved, ensuring best care to the patient who calls upon their skills.