I hate Sim Man's Genitals!

[Zooey72]

I am a second semester nursing student and I am dreading the first catheter I have to do on a real person. I feel completely unprepared to do it (I may feel better after I see someone at clinical do it on a real person). I know how based off of Sim Man, but sim man sucks! On Sim Man, his urethra looks like the opening to a cave (FYI, if a man has a urethra that looks like that he has major issues lol), and I could probably get a water hose down there if I wanted to. Sim Woman has the opposite problem to where you can't get the stupid thing in there. This is not just me, the dean of nursing could not get the darn thing in 'her'.

I know I am going to get to see it done on a real person before I have to do it myself. I would actually like to see it several times to be honest. I also would like to have someone watch me the first few times I do it to make sure everything is ok. That being said, the whole things makes me nervous as hell. We, as well as the patient, know that it is just something that needs to be done; but it is hard to seem nonchalant about it when you are nervous about your skills to do it.

My wife volunteered to let me practice on her. If I get the stuff do you think that may be a good idea? As for the male, I could always try and do it to myself. The point of view may be different, but it would give me a better general idea (and a bit more confidence about it).

My school has brand new equipment. Other than the catheter sim man is a great learning tool (NG tube can be a pain some times, but is doable). Any suggestions as to how I can get my skills better?

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

Have you actually looked at the foley in your lab kit? It probably isn't for real use. Nor is it safe for you to practice on yourself or your wife when you have no experience doing it. That is what clinicals are for.

No no one has been mean to you or been a "troll". But you asked a question & many experienced nurses gave you their answer & on top of that it is the forum on the Internet & you cannot control other people's responses.

If this is how you behave when you get critiqued & opinions, nursing is not for you. I suggest you find a different field.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Okay....we have had fun. Please no name calling or the thread will be closed.

OP...I think it is way over stepping the boundaries of prudent nurses to practice on your family. Your wife is a good sport to volunteer...but I strongly advise you not to practice on her. The answer is simple....when you get to the floor after you graduate be honest that you have not catheterized a real person before and ask for help.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Using catheters at home does exist. There is no training to the best of my knowledge that is required for you to purchase catheters.

Do you think people just wake up one day and say "I'm having trouble peeing. I think I'll buy some straight caths on amazon and start cathing myself?"

People who cath at home do so because they've been diagnosed with conditions, like neurogenic bladder, that make it necessary. And yes, they are TRAINED to do it before they are sent home. You say you have more experience than those cathing at home because you have studied for 3 weeks. Babies who are born with conditions like myelomeningocele can be in the hospital longer than that. And since they are babies they are cath'd q 3-4 hrs. That gives their parents 6-8 times/day to practice cathing them. So many of them have much more experience than you the first time they do it at home. And they usually will have a visiting nurse come to reinforce the teaching. These kids are also usually on prophylactic antibiotics d/t the risk of infection with frequent cathing.

As far as those who need to start cathing as adults- if someone has a spinal cord injury that results in paraplegia/a neurogenic bladder, they are most likely going to go to inpatient rehab after they leave the acute care hospital. So again, they could easily be more experienced than your 3 weeks by the time they are actually sent home. And if they have a good case manager/discharge planner, he or she is going to work to get these catheters covered under their insurance by a medical supply company. If the patient has Medicare and is going to have a visiting nurse, the visiting nursing agency is required by Medicare to provide the supplies as long as the patient is on service. No one is just going to be told "you need to start catheterizing yourself, go buy some catheters on Amazon."

[gere7404, BSN, RN]

All I can think of is those late night commercials for "liberator catheters" -- they're not the same as an indwelling catheters, btw

[lindseylpn]

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When people self cath at home this is what is commonly used btw. This is a closed bag self cath kit, it's totally different from an indwelling catheter or straight cath kit.