Catheterization Expiriences

Doing them?

Assisting with them?

Having them done on yourself?

Bring a flashlight!! :)

Bring a flashlight!! :)

And often, an extra pair of hands to keep from getting kicked

Yeast infections, extremely foul odors, individuals ripping them out(not my patients), irrigation, CBI, BPH( and the doctor forced a catheter BLOOD EVERYWHERE once again not my patient but I assisted the other nurse). Straight cath, very large caths that required numbing medication!! The invisible hole, the land of no return. Usually I can find and insert a foley no problem, but sometimes there are cases where you wonder "what, where and how"? I do not know how many times I have seen individuals insert it into the wrong area!!:nuke::uhoh21:

Bring a flashlight, an extra pair of hands and an extra catheter.

If you don't bring these, guaranteed you will need them!

Turn on all the lights.

Raise the bed up.

On my unit - don't ask Nurse K to help you - she will pass out! She can do them,just can't help - makes her faint.

And often, an extra pair of hands to keep from getting kicked

Not to mention several caths because you just know it isn't going to work with the first one.

I had this very very obese woman I had to place a foley. She also had MS and her legs did not open that far and she was unable to maintain the position. I felt so embarrassed for her when it took me and 3 CNAs to place the cath. CNA for each leg and one for the flashlight. I highly doubt it was sterile technique.

I've herd that if you do wind up inserting into the lady parts to leave it there (since its contaminated anyway) to use as a landmark so you don't do that the 2nd time...

edited - just in case it could be construed as a privacy violation. Too bad, too. It's a great story.

I had three experiences in where two of them were done in clinicals. I remember one experience when I used to work at a clinic, I had to cathetherize a male patient who was paraplegic. I was a little nervous, because it had been awhile since my school clinicals and I was still new at my job. My supervisor made me have a female stand-by with me in case I felt uncomfortable. I was nervous trying to make sure everything was sterile and I found myself looking for his member. My stand-by and I were looking at each other confused, until he said that his member was buried. Soooo, I had to dig for it. I was so embarrased since I never experienced something like this.

Nursing is stressful. However, as a nurse, I have to say that things like this makes my life interesting. In my opinion, you will never encounter weird, funny and humbling experiences in other professions more than in healthcare.

I had a pt w/MS (now deceased) whose husband rigged up a bedpan with a U-shaped pillow on it. We placed that under her, and her legs just fell off to the sides. He held the flashlight while I learned to gently pull up on her mons to get better exposure.

Also, I have learned to have some older women lie on their sides, with legs pulled up as high as possible. Have an assistant pull up on the upper leg to reveal the lady partsl area.

Hey - remember to lube the catheter after checking the balloon!!!!

My most memorable cath - - an elderly man w/dementia who had not voided in more than 24 hrs, bladder palpable to nearly his bellybutton. Gathered 5 people to help me with this already combative pt. I whispered in his ear that I was sorry to have to hurt his member, but that he would feel a lot better if I could get the tube in. Could not advance the foley, but managed to get a stiff coude' into his bladder. He never moved!!! We drained 2400 cc's out of him, rigged up the foley bag because I was not able to remove the catheter. Turned out he had a very large bladder stone. He went to the OR later that day. The docs were impressed that I was able to get anything past that stone, and my peers were impressed that my quiet whisper had soothed this man's combativeness.