Cath'ing Females

Nurses General Nursing

Published

  • Specializes in acute care med/surg, LTC, orthopedics.

You are reading page 2 of Cath'ing Females

leslie :-D

11,191 Posts

One piece of equipment I use when cathing females is a miner's/camper's flashlight; the one that sits on your forehead with a strap. It looks like I am going mining. I am! I can point the light exactly where I need it.

aw, i want one of those.:)

(loving the visuals.)

leslie

Specializes in LTC.

I had my first successful catheterization when the patient was on her side. I found it right away.

Of course the urethra was still "open" because her catheter had just fallen out.. lol..

I still consider it a success because I did not have to use the 2nd catheter and I maintained sterility (which usually just goes out the window when catheterizing little old ladies when their urethra's are hiding in a place where one wouldn't even think it would be.)

OttawaRPN

451 Posts

Specializes in acute care med/surg, LTC, orthopedics.
aw, i want one of those.:)

(loving the visuals.)

I gotta say, the visuals are making me LMAO...

miner's flashlight, leg over the back, dimples and winking....

:rotfl:

leslie :-D

11,191 Posts

I had my first successful catheterization when the patient was on her side. I found it right away.

Of course the urethra was still "open" because her catheter had just fallen out.. lol..

I still consider it a success because I did not have to use the 2nd catheter and I maintained sterility (which usually just goes out the window when catheterizing little old ladies when their urethra's are hiding in a place where one wouldn't even think it would be.)

good job, dj.

i'll never forget how proud i felt upon cathing my first pt.

also agree that side-lying is a great position to see urethra...

don't know why we don't use it more.

i usually use it for contracted pts only.

leslie

MassED, BSN, RN

2,636 Posts

Specializes in ER.

my god, all the time. Female anatomy is as diverse as personalities. Some easy, some not so much, some just impossible. Sometimes putting a patient so far in Trendelenburg can help, especially if they have a lot of folds.... but they will turn blue from all that pressure of being nearly upside down!

pednursedeb

100 Posts

My best advise is like several people have said. Get someone to help. I've cathed large ladies and small babies. You just need a second set of hands.

thebusynurse

36 Posts

I learned once from a good instuctor, look for the "wink" when you put the betadine on, ( meatus may re-act by opening up a bit-) and look for the "dimple" in the chin (look).. so to speak. all above posts -wonderful advise!!

On a similar note, if you have the patient cough, it will also cause the "wink" mentioned above.

leslie :-D

11,191 Posts

Sometimes putting a patient so far in Trendelenburg can help, especially if they have a lot of folds.... but they will turn blue from all that pressure of being nearly upside down!

exactly.

while it's a helpful position for the nurse, it is NOT good for the (obese) pt.

if able, try supporting buttocks with pillows.

Specializes in LTC.
good job, dj.

i'll never forget how proud i felt upon cathing my first pt.

also agree that side-lying is a great position to see urethra...

don't know why we don't use it more.

i usually use it for contracted pts only.

leslie

I use it for everyone..

as soon as I go into the room I tell the cnas.. ok lets turn her onto her side.

I tried to do it with a contracted patient. we ended up getting it from the side but it was a 4 man job. lol

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