Foley pain

[lucy8686]

If a pt complains of bladder pain with a Foley catheter they have had a few days (and I know it could be bladder spasms but just to troubleshoot..)...my thoughts are to bladder scan and make sure the catheter is draining urine and that the urine is normal and not clotty or bloody then if that’s OK check the cc’s in the balloon to make sure it’s not lost any fluid and is asymmetrical and causing discomfort from that and refill the balloon to the fill cc’s recommended by the manufacturer ...if the balloon is OK then maybe reposition tubing to the other leg and make sure catheter is secured.

Anything else you’d do or not do?

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

On 5/22/2019 at 7:18 AM, BettyGirard said:

Here's a very nice (albeit from the manufacturer) guide:
http://media.bardmedical.com/media/1679/a-guide-for-nurses.pdf

I did a bit of research on this when I had to start doing indwelling caths again (something I never thought I'd have to do as a school nurse).

Thanks for this well written urinary catheter guide, especially helpful for home care nurses due to information on long term catheter (>28days insertion time) availability.

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

6 hours ago, myoglobin said:

This is a great question and causes me to ponder several that are related:

a. Why are repeated straight caths preferable to a foley? I cared for a new quad. patient after a MVA who had Q 6 hour straight Caths ordered. By morning I was getting clots, blood and signs of uti or urethral trauma. Why is repeatedly sticking something in the urethra considered less of a risk than simply leaving a foley in place?

b. Why can’t they make foleys with at least low grade local anesthetic integrated and or antibacterial agents?

Assuming sterile technique is used correctly, the risk is far less less than having the indwelling foley, which is an open port to bacteria of all kinds.

[BettyGirard, BSN]

2 hours ago, NRSKarenRN said:

Thanks for this well written urinary catheter guide, especially helpful for home care nurses due to information on long term catheter (>28days insertion time) availability.

Yes, I started doing more research when I got several students that were on a long term basis (prior to that the typical duration was two weeks).