[elysium]

which tube is recommended to pull out in order to irrigate a 3-way foley? which size syringe/solution do you all use to irrigate? any betadine or just alcohol used at the connection site?

also, what is the best way to irrigate a regular foley?

[CIRQL8]

Follow the policy and procedure as outlined in your institution's manual. There are some differences from place to place.

Speaking generally....
Clean the connection site(s) with some type of antiseptic (ie alcohol), use a 60 mL (2 oz) catheter-tip irrigating syringe. If you have a 3-way foley, be sure the output is clamped. Using a jug/pitcher with sterile water in it, fill the irrigationg syringe with about 60 mL of the sterile water. Carefully instill the sterile water into the catheter (carefully to be sure that you are not in a false passage, etc, and are actually irrigating the bladder). If all goes smoothly, you can be a bit more forceful with further instillations. Anyway... instill the water into the bladder, then immediately using the same syring, without removing it from the foley, withdraw the water into the syringe. If there is clots, or other stuff, it will get sucked into the syringe. Remove the syringe from the foley, keep the foley from leaking out by pinching it. Squirt the aspirated junk from the syringe into a waste container. Do this over and over until you aspirate no further junk. I hope that you like all my technical medical terms!

Again - be sure to folow your institutions policies, and be sure that there is a physician order to do this. If you can;t easily irrigate the bladder, the foley may be in funky, or there could be some serious blockage. Call the doc.