Bahia Galal Abd Elrazik Siam, Khalda Mnawer M. Alshammari, Bassam Shayhan F. Alshammari, Aiman Mojidea M. Alshammari, Saad Majed Saad Alderaan, Saad Thamer Alshammari, Abdulellah Nasser Abdulaziz Alshammari, Omar Nasser Saud Almaslamani, Salman Amish Ayad Alshammari, Wadha Habeeb Almatrafy, Faisal Dakhilallah J. Alruwaili, Abdulaziz Fayez L. Alruwaili, Jawaher Jaza M. Alruwaili, Lama M Alahmadi, Mona Lahilam Alsamah Aldoghmani, Wejdan Sager S. Alrwaili, Mashal Khaled Alrowily, Hamdah Falgi Basheer Alruwaili
Background Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is a leading healthcare-associated infection worldwide, associated with increased morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, higher costs, and antimicrobial resistance. Nurses play a critical role in prevention through evidence-based catheter insertion, maintenance, and timely removal. Aim To assess factors associated with knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices regarding CAUTI among nurses in Aljouf City, Saudi Arabia. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 184 registered nurses in governmental hospitals in Aljouf City using a structured questionnaire on demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward CAUTI prevention. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, ANOVA, and Spearman’s correlations. Results Overall, 77.7% of nurses had good knowledge, 84.8% showed positive attitudes, and 84.8% had adequate preventive practices. Knowledge scores differed significantly by years of experience ( p = 0.001), urinary catheter (UC) insertion frequency ( p < 0.001), and CAUTI guideline awareness ( p = 0.002). Attitudes varied by hospital ( p = 0.014), ward ( p = 0.007), and UC insertion frequency ( p = 0.032). Practices differed by hospital ( p = 0.006), UC insertion frequency ( p = 0.009), and guideline awareness ( p = 0.049). Spearman’s correlations showed weak knowledge-attitude ( r = 0.231, p = 0.002), moderate knowledge-practice ( r = 0.446, p < 0.001), and strong attitude-practice ( r = 0.525, p < 0.001) associations. Multivariable logistic regression showed that attitude was the strongest independent factor associated with adequate practice (AOR = 0.251, p = 0.005). Conclusion This study demonstrates generally favorable knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward CAUTI prevention among Al-Jouf nurses, with moderate correlations, attitudes showed the strongest association with preventive practices.