Catheterization? Do you remember your 1st time?

palesarah · Feb 5, 2005

I never cathed anyone in school, my first was on the job. I had only been working a few weeks in LDRP and was still orienting to mother-baby care, but they liked to get us newbies any opportunity to practice skills. So my first fley was on a laboring woman about to go over to the OR for a C-section. My preceptor talked me through each step, and told the patient "oh don't worry, she's done this before, but she's new here and isn't familiar with our equipment so I'm just talking her through it"

I had never believed in lying to patients but it did make the experience much easier for the patient :)

Nesher, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2005

Lucky you - you had a dummy to practice on! My first foley was in nursing school. Instructor by my side - I don't recall what went wrong but my instructor had to leave for a moment - left me bent over and holding this poor woman's labia open. She was gone a good ten minutes and I was sweating, my back was broken from holding that position that long. Got it in though.

Helpful hints

1. Put the bed up

2. Always bring a second pair of sterile gloves and a second foley. If the first one goes into the lady parts - leave it there as it helps direct you.

3. Have someone with you...help with flashlight, legs, distraction (especially with men - they tense up much more than woman - have them deep breath as you are going in - don't worry if the cath practically disappears).

luluann · Feb 6, 2005

Like some of the others posted, my first foley was not in school but on the job. Being a recent grad from Dec and only being on the job a few weeks now. I am in Labor and once an epidural is placed then the foley goes in. My preceptor was awesome. She gave me all kinds of tips and talked me through the whole thing. One thing she said that helped alot was to watch for the little "winking" as I was washing with the cotton balls..that would be my "spot" to aim for. Sure enough it worked and I got it on the first try. I don't think I could do it on my own yet, but a few more times and I will have it down no problem. Course if I ever move to a different area I will have to learn all over again since there "ain't" no chance on doing a male in L & D!

twinbee25 · Feb 6, 2005

Helpful hints
1. Put the bed up
2. Always bring a second pair of sterile gloves and a second foley. If the first one goes into the lady parts - leave it there as it helps direct you.
3. Have someone with you...help with flashlight, legs, distraction (especially with men - they tense up much more than woman - have them deep breath as you are going in - don't worry if the cath practically disappears).

Thank you all for sharing your stories and advice!!! :) One thing I also wondered about is if you should take an extra cath w/you or not, but it makes sense to me now that you should for just incase you miss the first time! :chuckle

Will keep you posted on how my first time goes! :rolleyes:

thanks again! twinbee

student52 · Feb 10, 2005

It was friday, 2 weeks ago. The end of my clinical day, I was waiting until 12:45P to give report to my primary nurse, and our team leader asked if I wanted to do one. Being 12:30, I thought"I've got 15 min. and my people are fine, sure." Well, I didn't know the woman was in CHF, on isolation and we couldn't lie her less than 60 degrees! So, my instructor stood at the foot of the bed, 2 classmates grabbed a leg a piece, and I set up my sterile field. I cleansed the area, looked and said "I'm gonna need help." So the girls told me where the urethra was, I inserted the cather and decided that wasn't it. Try #2, the girls told me to go low, I went low, -> lady parts, leave that theremy instructor says. Try #3 I finally got it. When we left the room we all laughed, and I said, "well, that's not where it says it is in the book!" I called my g/f later, she laughed and said they only get easier from there.