Evidence Based Practice

[DanidelionRN, BSN, RN]

So, when I was working as a CNA this past year at a nursing home, I saw something that was a bit contradictory to what I had learned in my Nursing skills lab at school. The CNAs there were running catheter tubing underneath a patient's legs to promote drainage- and in the Nursing clinical skills textbook, they say that catheter tubing should always run over the leg to prevent it from getting pinched off.

Has anyone seen any research on this area or have any knowledge as to why we need to do one over the other- and how important it is?

In my mind, going over the leg could become quite important because if the catheter tubing got pinched off, it could lead to a rupture of the bladder because it would then prevent the bladder from draining at all, or else it could result in leakage around the catheter.

Any thoughts?

[nyteshade, BSN]

Two things:

1. Cath tubing under promotes pressure ulcers shaped like cath tubing.

2. It blocks the flow when under the leg.