Foley cath practices

Specialties Pediatric

Published

Specializes in pediatric, neonatal, ER/trauma, camp.

We are interested in redoing our foley cath policy due to high rate of infections. We have found very little EPB research out there, especially in regards to peds. My questions for everyone are:

What do you clean with prior to placement?

Do you irrigate?

Any other p&p regarding foleys that has helped with infection.

Thanks and double thanks if you can provide resources for your answers.

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Specializes in Pediatrics: Neuro/Ortho/Trauma, Now ER.

I don't have any specific resources to provide, but I can give insight to what my facility does.

We clean with betadine prior to placing foleys. Irrigation is only done if there is reason to believe the catheter is clogged, usually by mucousy urine. Not sure if it's policy or not, but Foleys are only kept in for as long as medically necessary. If the patient can use a bedpan, urinal, or is otherwise diapered, the catheters are removed. The longer a foley is left in, the greater the chance of an infection.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, home care.

Betadine for cleansing prior, sterile tech. naturally. We only irrigate usually on a ureter reinplant or similar surgery where occlusion is common. Sterile tech. Usually, 1-2x per shift as necessary. Remove ASAP. Also, usually on ABX anyway for the surgery. No secondary UTI's that I know of. hope that helps!

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Specializes in LPN, Peds, Public Health.

Betadine to clean, sterile procedure. We pretty much only do straight caths, in and out, to get a good UA (clinic setting). The only time we leave a cath in is if the patient has to go to X-ray then it is taken out right away. I always make sure to clean the kiddos off after i am done also. Haven't had any problems with infections.

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Specializes in Peds; Peds Oncology.

We are the same as the above poster.

I can't even remember the last time one of our kids had a foley left in.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.

Like many have said, betadine swab x3, completely sterile technique. We usually only put it in as a last resort, and take it out as soon as possible to reduce infection. If it's gonna be in for a few days, we use betadine around the foley to do foley care to keep it free from as many germs as possible. Irrigate only if it is clogged.

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