Nursing theories are today the support of nursing practice. The application of nursing theory into practice has a significant impact on improving the quality of patient care and overall health outcomes. In particular, a practical theory called the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, developed by W. Edwards Deming, can be applied to improve processes in healthcare. According to Varkey, Relle, and Resar (2007), this theory “involves a test-and-learn approach in which a hypothesis is formulated or a solution for improvement is suggested and testing is carried out on a small scale before changes are made to the entire system” (p. 736). Healthcare processes must be continuously evaluated based on evidence-based practices for quality improvement and better patient outcomes. Nursing leaders have a significant impact on quality management and employees' ability to seek process improvement. In my article I will discuss the application of the PDSA cycle in quality improvement to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) among elderly patients. The knowledge gained will help in identifying the strategy to reduce the number of CAUTIs in intensive care settings. Additionally, staff will be empowered to improve the delivery of care to this population, and management will review existing policies and procedures to provide standards for improved practice. Overall, reducing the incidence of CAUTI will result in higher quality management and better patient outcomes. Catheter-associated urinary tract infections Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) develop during hospitalization for other health conditions. According to Stone (2009), they represent the fifth leading cause of death in intensive care facilities in the United States. Most comm...means of paper......among healthcare workers in nursing homes. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 58(8), 1532-1537. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02964.xSedor, J., & Mulholland, S. (1999). Hospital-acquired urinary tract infections associated with indwelling catheters. Urology Clinic of North America, 26(4), 821-828.Stone, P. (2009). Economic burden of healthcare-associated infections: an American perspective. Expert review of pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research, 9(5), 417-422. doi:10.1586/erp.09.53Sundvall, P., Ulleryd, P., & Gunnarsson, R. (2011). Urine culture is equivocal in determining the etiology of widespread symptoms among older adults: a cross-sectional study of 32 nursing homes. BMC Family Practice, 1236. doi:10.1186/1471-2296-12-36Varkey, P., Reller, M., & Resar, R. (2007). Basics of quality improvement in healthcare. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 82(6), 735-739.