Catheterization Expiriences

[ubsjl]

what are your expiriences during catheterization??????????'

i mean, did you expirience any big complications, any special situations, anegdots etc. while:

doing them?

assisting with them?

having them done on yourself?

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

Doing them?

Assisting with them?

Having them done on yourself?

[PsychNurseWannaBe, BSN, RN]

Bring a flashlight!! :)

[jmdRN]

Bring a flashlight!! :)

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

[SweetsRN522]

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:

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

You don't need to shout...we're listening.

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

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.

[PsychNurseWannaBe, BSN, RN]

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.

[PsychNurseWannaBe, BSN, RN]

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.

[Twinmom06, ASN, APN]

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...

[vashtee, RN]

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

[Black Jade, BSN, RN]

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.