Tips for inserting foleys

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Medicine.

Hi all!

Just wondering if you have any tips for inserting foleys on male patients. I am usually very good at inserting a foley in a female patient, but when it comes to male patients I find that sometimes I can keep inserting it quite far but can never hit urine,and usually have to ask a colleague to attempt (and they usually get it)

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Specializes in Hematology-oncology.

Are you meeting resistance when you insert the foley "quite far" and don't see urine? If not, you may need to continue gently inserting the foley. If you are meeting resistance, then your male patient may have an enlarged prostate. Using a Coude catheter, or maybe a slightly smaller french may help in these situations.

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I once had to use a pediatric Foley for an 80 year old man because of his BPH. Its not unusal to feel resistance, but not so much that you cannot passage the catheter.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Use lidocaine jelly. If you're trying to force a foley through a urethra and sphincters that are all clamped down due to discomfort, then it's not only going to be more difficulty but you're more likely to cause trauma to the structures along the way. Lidocaine, instilled and given some time to work, will allow the pathway to be relaxed and open, easing insertion. Plus, it's just polite.

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Specializes in ED; Med Surg.

Urojet, coude and "high and tight" are the tricks!

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

Phew, I'm right there with you. It's been a very long time since I've

met a female whom I could not get into a catheter into. Cathing Males

is my kryptonite though. Along with placing most IV's.

Good suggestions above.

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Specializes in ICU.

We aren't allowed to use lidocaine jelly (nor lidocaine for IV sticks). Wish we could, for patient's comfort.

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