foley catheter question

[J.R.theR.N2b]

i am a new member of the forum and have a question about foley catherizations. have never done one or witnessed any, but am curious about the typical reaction of a male patient to being catherized? it looks like it would hurt so much, and being a brand new student, i am concerned about causing pain to my patient. i have heard from friends who have been catherized and they all talk about how much it hurts. so, all of you who have experience cathing patients, does it really hurt this much and how do you prepare your patient for this procedure?

[mced]

30french 3-way, Coude if you have one. That is what I try to use. Most guys love it and come back asking for more!

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

It doesn't feel good to the females either. I'm quite honest with the patient, I tell them it's going to hurt, but the hurt is temporary. I get them to close their eyes and take slow deep relaxing breaths.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

30french 3-way, Coude if you have one. That is what I try to use. Most guys love it and come back asking for more!

Make mine with little spikes on the catheter tip. Love that. Beg for more every time. :lol2:

[Larry77, RN]

um...30FR...OUCH!!!

We have what's called "Uro-jet" which is an applicater with Lidocaine jell to squirt in the urethra to numb it...seems to help a little (only used it on males though).

Doesn't seem to hurt women as much unless they have a raging UTI or have been cathed numerous times recently. Women have a much shorter urethra but are much more difficult to cath, especially when they are very overweight or very old (parts don't always look like the pics in our nursing books...lol).

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

I have had pts complain of a temp discomfort but never pain. I use lots of lube, will use the lidocaine gel if I can get to some for some pts, and have the patient do deep breathing techniques. Pre medicating helps too if you have that option.

Ironically, I am called in much of my day from different floors to put them in because I seem to have a nack for it...LOL! Great...my nursing claim to fame..the Cath Queen...LOL!

Also, if I tell pts that this catheter will lesson the whole getting in and out of bed deal with all those IV fluids running in...they tend to re-think the scary word of catheter and relax! I have even had people beg me not to take it out! LOL!

[NoWaNrN, ASN, RN]

I cathed my husband for practice in nursing school, he said it was uncomfy but didn't hurt.

[mced]

I cathed my husband for practice in nursing school, he said it was uncomfy but didn't hurt.

Sounds kind of kinky....I think you might be posting on the wrong website!

[maolin]

Now THAT is one supportive hubby!!!

I cathed my husband for practice in nursing school, he said it was uncomfy but didn't hurt.

[NoWaNrN, ASN, RN]

No he was helping, I was seriously interested on doing it on a real person

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

My hubby too volunteered for cath practice....but I just didn't want to 'go there'...but I sure used him for IV practice (he is a paramedic, so he was training me as I practiced).

Actually it wasn't males I was concerned with most...it was females because they do have such a smaller urethra and in some females very hard to see the meatus! I use a flash light and use some light hearted humor because I don't know about you...but a flashlight on that area isn't my idea of fun! LOL!

[mandana]

I cathed my husband for practice in nursing school, he said it was uncomfy but didn't hurt.

WOW! And my husband thought he was the most giving individual in the world because he let me start an IV on him! Actually, he really was making a pretty big sacrifice for me, he hates needles.

One of the most amazing things I've seen was a person with a large foreign object through their chest wall - FINE until it came time for the catheter. Then, he lost it.

Yep, caths aren't fun for anyone, some seem to be much more sensitive to the idea of it then some women, but pretty much everyone will crawl up the bed away from you.

Amanda