I hate Sim Man's Genitals!

[Zooey72]

I am a second semester nursing student and I am dreading the first catheter I have to do on a real person. I feel completely unprepared to do it (I may feel better after I see someone at clinical do it on a real person). I know how based off of Sim Man, but sim man sucks! On Sim Man, his urethra looks like the opening to a cave (FYI, if a man has a urethra that looks like that he has major issues lol), and I could probably get a water hose down there if I wanted to. Sim Woman has the opposite problem to where you can't get the stupid thing in there. This is not just me, the dean of nursing could not get the darn thing in 'her'.

I know I am going to get to see it done on a real person before I have to do it myself. I would actually like to see it several times to be honest. I also would like to have someone watch me the first few times I do it to make sure everything is ok. That being said, the whole things makes me nervous as hell. We, as well as the patient, know that it is just something that needs to be done; but it is hard to seem nonchalant about it when you are nervous about your skills to do it.

My wife volunteered to let me practice on her. If I get the stuff do you think that may be a good idea? As for the male, I could always try and do it to myself. The point of view may be different, but it would give me a better general idea (and a bit more confidence about it).

My school has brand new equipment. Other than the catheter sim man is a great learning tool (NG tube can be a pain some times, but is doable). Any suggestions as to how I can get my skills better?

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

O kayyyyyy.

I'll give it a go (and no, no one here is "attacking you"; they are, indeed questioning your judgment -- and for good reason).

Practice makes perfect -- that's why there are open lab times in many schools. When I was in clinicals, I was also lucky enough to have nurses invite me to observe and/or assist with urinary catherization.

As a new grad, I still get nervous.

BUT ... urinary catherizations have a risk of infection. We want to get them OUT as fast as we can with our patients. In fact, I get to attend a CAUTI training on Monday. We don't want to unnecessarily invite infection into anyone, including our spouses.

Best advice? Please listen to these posters you deem are "attacking" you.

[futurelnd]

Oh boy...who wants some popcorn?

This post is just too good to be true!

[Zooey72]

I am done with this. These are attacks when people question if I am stealing from my school. And as far as 'no one agrees with you'. Not true

https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/question-about-clean-165831.html

Using catheters at home does exist. There is no training to the best of my knowledge that is required for you to purchase catheters. I have taken each argument that has been spewed here and shot it down. Now if all of you just want to be ignorant about the whole thing I can't stop you. And I have looked it up (again), at home it is clean technique... so go review your nursing books. I would do it sterile regardless because that is how I want to learn, but whatever.

I have never seen so many people be so zealous about their own ignorance. It is truly amazing to me. People who have zero medical background do this all the time. As is posted on the thread I just supplied, it is CLEANER to do it at your own home than in a hospital. This isn't even about whether it is a good thing to do or not, you people have no idea what you are talking about. I don't care what experience you have... it does not change the facts that PEOPLE CATH AT HOME. HOME CATHING IS CLEAN technique.

I am not coming back to this thread, let it die. But for god's sake, refresh yourself on this. Hope this helps:

[Purple_roses]

I am done with this. These are attacks when people question if I am stealing from my school. And as far as 'no one agrees with you'. Not true

https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/question-about-clean-165831.html

Using catheters at home does exist. There is no training to the best of my knowledge that is required for you to purchase catheters. I have taken each argument that has been spewed here and shot it down. Now if all of you just want to be ignorant about the whole thing I can't stop you. And I have looked it up (again), at home it is clean technique... so go review your nursing books. I would do it sterile regardless because that is how I want to learn, but whatever.

I have never seen so many people be so zealous about their own ignorance. It is truly amazing to me. People who have zero medical background do this all the time. As is posted on the thread I just supplied, it is CLEANER to do it at your own home than in a hospital. This isn't even about whether it is a good thing to do or not, you people have no idea what you are talking about. I don't care what experience you have... it does not change the facts that PEOPLE CATH AT HOME. HOME CATHING IS CLEAN technique.

I am not coming back to this thread, let it die. But for god's sake, refresh yourself on this. Hope this helps:

I bolded my favorite part. *sigh*

See ya. Good luck. Remember to brush up on UTI symptoms. Tell your wife to take her full course of antibiotics as prescribed.

[de05432]

I am done with this. These are attacks when people question if I am stealing from my school. And as far as 'no one agrees with you'. Not true

https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/question-about-clean-165831.html

Using catheters at home does exist. There is no training to the best of my knowledge that is required for you to purchase catheters. I have taken each argument that has been spewed here and shot it down. Now if all of you just want to be ignorant about the whole thing I can't stop you. And I have looked it up (again), at home it is clean technique... so go review your nursing books. I would do it sterile regardless because that is how I want to learn, but whatever.

I have never seen so many people be so zealous about their own ignorance. It is truly amazing to me. People who have zero medical background do this all the time. As is posted on the thread I just supplied, it is CLEANER to do it at your own home than in a hospital. This isn't even about whether it is a good thing to do or not, you people have no idea what you are talking about. I don't care what experience you have... it does not change the facts that PEOPLE CATH AT HOME. HOME CATHING IS CLEAN technique.

I am not coming back to this thread, let it die. But for god's sake, refresh yourself on this. Hope this helps:

Well no crap, captain obvious. Nobody ever said that people don't cath themselves at home. Of course it's clean technique when done at home. Sterile technique when done in the hospital. Patients are taught how to cath themselves. You are wanting to do it for practice, which is vastly different. We have established this, but it has NOTHING to do with your original question/attempt to start crap and be whiny and act like an entitled brat when you're told something you don't want to hear. You were asking if it were appropriate to practice on your partner. Everyone said not a good idea, you pitched a fit and started throwing out the insults. If you can't handle criticism or being told you're wrong, stay off the internet and become a hermit. Seriously.

Also, you're a second semester nursing student. I'm a 4th semester, which means nothing. But you have got a LOT of nerve to come on a PUBLIC forum and talk to people with much more experience than you like they are inferior to you. You have a lot to learn and a lot of growing up to do.

Good luck in the work force, and with future Google searches. Let us know when you grow up.

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

I am done with this. These are attacks when people question if I am stealing from my school. And as far as 'no one agrees with you'. Not true

https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/question-about-clean-165831.html

Using catheters at home does exist. There is no training to the best of my knowledge that is required for you to purchase catheters. I have taken each argument that has been spewed here and shot it down. Now if all of you just want to be ignorant about the whole thing I can't stop you. And I have looked it up (again), at home it is clean technique... so go review your nursing books. I would do it sterile regardless because that is how I want to learn, but whatever.

I have never seen so many people be so zealous about their own ignorance. It is truly amazing to me. People who have zero medical background do this all the time. As is posted on the thread I just supplied, it is CLEANER to do it at your own home than in a hospital. This isn't even about whether it is a good thing to do or not, you people have no idea what you are talking about. I don't care what experience you have... it does not change the facts that PEOPLE CATH AT HOME. HOME CATHING IS CLEAN technique.

I am not coming back to this thread, let it die. But for god's sake, refresh yourself on this. Hope this helps:

Oh ... my.

Seriously, dude. The title of this thread is just too awesome for people not to click on, and your "hmph!" and ignorance is just too much not to comment on.

I sure hope you're not like this to feedback in real life like you are on this thread. I have a strong suspicion however ...

YouTube videos aside, please educate yourself on urinary catheterization and infection: future patients, clinical instructors, and your wife will thank you.

[vanilla bean]

If my school frowns on doing it at home so be it. I really don't know.

Well, that's where you should start in your quest for affirmation. Why should you take the advice of a bunch of meanies on the internet? Ask your trusted nursing faculty. Just please come back and let us know how those conversations went.

[Kuriin, BSN, RN]

"(FYI, if a man has a urethra that looks like that he has major issues lol),"

Uhm. Excuse me. There are many men out there with chronic foley use with an enlarged urethral opening. I would recommend you be a little more conscientious.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

The fact any of you (the trolls) are allowed around patients says a lot.

. The fact that you thought of stealing before anything else shows that someone made a mistake when they gave you access to drugs.

I will give your ignorance a pass

Generally when working professionals advise you not to risk giving your wife a painful infection or risk traumatizing her urethra, the appropriate response is "Thank you."

Making ad hominem attacks on said professionals is a highly inappropriate, unprofessional, and immature response.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

it does not change the facts that PEOPLE CATH AT HOME. HOME CATHING IS CLEAN technique.

They have also been taught by a nurse or physician how to safely perform them. At this point you are untrained. Female anatomy lends itself to greater risk: due to generally having more skin flora down there than men do, there is more opportunity to introduce microbes into her bladder. Plus her urethra is shorter, so bacteria don't have far to travel. Also you keep posting about male catheterization: you are aware that her urethra is much shorter than a man's? What could consequences of inserting per the instructions for men be? Think about it.

And for the love of all thst is holy, stop acting like a petulant child, and start acting as a husband. You should want to protect her. Declining this offer will protect her.

[AceOfHearts<3]

Yes, people do cath themselves at home. A person who straight caths themselves does so to avoid a burst bladder, UTIs from urine sitting there, kidney damage due to the urine backing up from the bladder to the kidneys, etc. In a person with the medical necessity to be cathed the benefit outweighs the risk- this is NOT the case with you or your wife.

I'd like to point out one of my colleagues was straight cathed after a medical procedure and the bladder spasms she had were incredible. Somebody who does it routinely would be used to it, but she said it was worse than the actual procedure. I think she said it felt like her bladder was "on fire". I've had patient have spasms due to catheterizations and I can tell you they are extremely uncomfortable- but as a nurse I can ask the doctor for an order for meds to help with the spasms, something which you can't at home. UTIs are not the only risk associated with catheterization.

Another thing- you should never cath somebody alone while working. The liability is too great if they later make claims. The second person is there to assist you and make sure you don't break sterile field. If inserting a foley and not just a straight cath then the other person will always be a nurse.

As an educated medical professional it is my job to advocate for my patients and those who cannot do it themselves. We are advocating for your wife. I would never permit myself, a friend, or a family member to be cathed without a clear medical reason and it is the same for my patients.

We've had orientees who never had the chance to do an actual catheterization and that's ok- some units do it much more frequently than others. If we have an orientee on the unit and I need to cath a person I always let the preceptor and orientee know- that way they can decide if the orientee is going to do it (side note- I let them know when other things are going on too- such as things related to chest tubes, NG tubes, etc.).

[jtboy29]

Only way to get better at this skill is by practice. I didn't get to do my first actual foley catheter until my ER rotation and it was only an in and out cath however; same concept. My other one was on a female patient. Don't attempt to practice on yourself or your wife that's a huge risk.