cath success!

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Specializes in LTC.

I'm kind of embarrassed to admit this, but I have been an RN for almost a year and until today, I had never successfully catched a female pt. I attempted a number of times at clinicals and my job, but have always had to get someone else to help/do it after an unsuccessful attempt or two. I was starting to think that I would never successfully cath any female pt except for the dummy in the lab during nursing school.

Anyway, this morning I got to work, got report and was at the med cart getting ready to start my morning med pass when one of the nursing assistants comes out of a resident's room and says "(resident's name) just pulled her cath out!" I said "What?!?!" (This is not a good way to start my day) CNA said she was washing her up and she just grabbed onto her cath and yanked it out. I think that surely the balloon must have become deflated somehow and that is why it came out, but when I went into the room to assess the situation, I found a fully intact foley with the balloon inflated to 10 cc :eek: So I gathered the supplies, got a CNA to help me, and ventured back in to attempt to put her cath back in. The resident was not happy about having this done and was yelling and hitting at us the whole time, but I got the cath in on my first try! :up:

Just wanted to brag about my good day.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.

congrats!!! no, this is not a silly post. it is soooooooooooo much easier to get a cath in a healthy male (not so easy when the males have member and/or prostate problems), but females healthy or not can be a shot in the dark when you do not have your technique down. sadly, it can be hard to get your technique down as a new nurse without sufficient guidance or practice. in any case, you are not alone.

i too had trouble during my first year. some females i cathed successfully (even if it took me forever to do so) and others i did not. a year later i can cath a female without any problems. even the altered combative types (which describes my last cath as well) and i can do it fast. gl! may you continue to have success!!:D

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Specializes in ICU, Emergency Department.

good for you! i remember how excited i was when i successfully cathed my first female patient.. it's not an easy task with all those skin folds! mazel tov :D

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