Irrigating foley catheter

[nursenatalie]

Ok, I tried to do a search on this as I am sure that this topic has been debated before, couldn't find anything...got tired of looking. When irrigating a foley catheter do you use sterile water or normal saline?

[veronica butterfly, ADN, RN]

NS would be best I would think as it is isotonic, same as body's salinity.

Here's a "stupid" question.... when we're supposed to irrigate a regular indwelling foley (not a 3 lumen after a turp), does everybody just disconnect the foley from the tubing for the collecting bag? I always feel there's such a high chance of bacteria entering. But only other option is that small port we can draw urine from if we need a specimen.

I wouldn't mess with warming fluid, could cause a burn. fyi, though, I used to do peritoneal dialysis on a pt and we always had a warming pad going at bedside with bags on it for the next round.

[geribug]

At our geri-psych facility, we needed to irrigate a foley because the pt. was bleeding and the catheter was clotted off. We were told that using a large syringe not packaged in a sterile package was ok to use. The syringes were stored in a large open plastic bag. The syringes had caps over the tip that goes into the catheter. Is this really ok? I was taught that bladder/foley irrigation was supposed to be as sterile as possible, thus the need for an irrigation kit or at least a sterile syringe. What is your opinion?

[rgroyer1RNBSN, BSN, RN]

I've always opened up a sterile irrigation tray myself, and used warm nss.

[barefootlady, ADN, RN]

Have used Kpad to keep solution warm, also have set with bag between legs while wrapped in towel on night shift.

[noskcaj]

When irrigating a foley cath you read the physician order. It tells you what solution or drug to use. Read physician orders or clarify with the physician. Mar, t.o. Verbal orders.

[trauma center]

Hi guys! Re: Foleys irrigation; in my workplace especially in my unit, we were taught to use sterile water for irrigation since using NSS may cause salt sediments or crystallization.

[veronica butterfly, ADN, RN]

trauma center said:

Hi guys! Re: Foleys irrigation; in my workplace especially in my unit, we were taught to use sterile water for irrigation since using NSS may cause salt sediments or crystallization.

What is the thought that normal saline would cause sediment or crystallization when it is completely isotonic? It's the same as body fluid salinity.

[GrumpyRN63, ADN, RN]

We flush with sterile h20, but frankly I don't think it makes a big difference

[lovetoride]

we use ns for our turps and hand irrigate with bottles of ns. Never thought about it being warmed. Pt's have the bladder spasms with or w/o irrigation.

[JBizzleRN, ADN, RN]

We also use normal saline to irrigate the foleys. Question for you though, do you irrigate gently or rough? One particular urologist on our floor will chew you out if he sees you irrigating gently...he likes it rough, but other urologists say "gently" to reduce the trauma to the bladder...

[veronica butterfly, ADN, RN]

JBizzleRN said:

We also use normal saline to irrigate the foleys. Question for you though, do you irrigate gently or rough? One particular urologist on our floor will chew you out if he sees you irrigating gently...he likes it rough, but other urologists say "gently" to reduce the trauma to the bladder....

Depending on what is going on, I adjust my 'technique'... I usually start gently, but if I am working on getting clots or sludge out, I usually have to irrigate a little more aggressively. If the need to irrigate is there, you probably have to work at it a bit.