I Finally Conquered My Fear!!!

Nursing Students General Students

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I had this huge fear of starting a foley and I got to start one on Friday. I wasn't too thrilled at first but I eventually and quickly got over it. My clinical teacher (luckily) is very supportive and gung ho about teaching us the skills and walking through them with us during rotation. She even let me start 2 IV's (which I don't get checked off on until Monday but I have had a lot of practice.) That foley though, goodness. I must say it was an experience. The meatus on the manniquins we use in lab look nothing like the real thing.:chuckle I don't think I would have ever found it if my instructor wasnt there.

My first foley was on a man who had had surgery in the am and was unable to void. When I walked into the room he dropped his pants and jumped on the bed. I think it would have been worse if he had not been so willing because I was nervous. We had to clamp the tubing because he had 1000ml of urine return. I must say he was a happy man when we left LOL. The first time I attempted a foley on a woman I could not find the meatus and my instructor had to take over. I did not feel so bad when it took her quite a while to find it. Men are much easier!

Congratulations. It's always such a wonderful feeling to conquer those fears, isn't it?

Specializes in L&D.

Congratulations!

My first and only foley (so far!) was a little old lady - bless her soul - I had a heck of a time finding the meatus on her. I swear - the dummies that we use at school - why do they have a 30'ish, fit man for those things! We need dummies that look like a 78 year old lady, overweight, with enormous breasts that hang down.... Anyway, finally found the right spot - later a new nurse (recent grad) told me that they were told to find "the wink". I thought that was so funny!:rotfl:

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Congrats! Keep up the good work.

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