When did you start your first Foley? - page 2

1. 
   Nov 22, '07

   Occupation: RN Specialty: Med/Surg ; Joined: May '05; Posts: 690; Likes: 111

   It was my second to last clinical my last semester in nursing school on a woman in labor. Luckily I worked as a tech during school in the ER and put in lots of foleys. Its true, I work with new grads and actually a nurse who has been a nurse for over a year who still have not put in foleys.
2. 
   Nov 22, '07

   Specialty: Neuro ; Joined: Aug '06; Posts: 571; Likes: 136

   My very 1st clinical day in 1st semester! Pt had a broken pelvis, which made it a very difficult try, but I got it in 1st attempt! Unfortunately, I broke sterile field before even attempting, so I had to start over on that part, but the actual procedure went very smoothly!
3. 
   Nov 23, '07

   Joined: Aug '05; Posts: 1,744; Likes: 533

   I did my first straight cath last week, on a woman who was supposed to be difficult to do one on. I thought it was really easy, but the hole was where it was supposed to be. It was the last clinical day of our first semester at the hospital.
4. 
   Nov 23, '07

   Specialty: 2 year(s) of experience in Emergency ; From: CA ; Joined: May '05; Posts: 558; Likes: 109

   2nd semester, two of us students on a happily confused old man. Thankfully the teacher reviewed the procedure with us in the utility room, then sent us in to attempt it on our own. She stood outside the doorway in case we needed help. We succeeded, and it was so nice to NOT have the teacher staring down at us through the whole thing.
5. 
   Nov 23, '07

   Occupation: IV team Specialty: 21 year(s) of experience in Vascular Access Nurse ; From: US ; Joined: Nov '07; Posts: 297; Likes: 179

   I'm an RN student, but have been an LPN for a while. We inserted foley's by the second month of LPN school.....and month 3 of RN school. It's kind of surprising that you don't get many opportunities....OMG, I must have done over 500 caths (straight and/or foley....the only difference is the balloon!) throughout my career....and would be happy to give someone else a chance!
6. 
   Nov 23, '07

   Occupation: CRRN, now a case management RN Specialty: Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych ; From: US ; Joined: Feb '05; Posts: 38,032; Likes: 69,291

   Quote from Pecked2DthByChickens

   Just wondering what semester you were in when you actually did a cath on an actual patient.

   I, and the vast majority of my classmates, never catheterized any patients during clinical rotations. After all, the opportunity never arose, and my school considered this skill to be "optional." The first time I ever inserted a cath was when I was already licensed and working at the same facility for 8 months.
7. 
   Nov 23, '07

   Joined: Oct '07; Posts: 7

   I just put one in on Wednesday my first semester took me three Foley kits I had an elderly nursing home patient that wouldn't unglue her legs. but third time was the charm. I think my clinical instructor was more nervous than I was
8. 
   Nov 23, '07

   From: US ; Joined: Dec '05; Posts: 302; Likes: 89

   I'm almost done with my second semester and I d/c 1 foley and had to defer two insertions...I'm a guy and I'm forbidden to perform "under the sheet care" in L/D.
9. 
   Nov 24, '07

   Occupation: ED Nurse Specialty: Emergency Department ; From: US ; Joined: Jun '07; Posts: 117; Likes: 12

   I am going to ask my instructor this Thursday (our last clinical of first semester) to find me a cath patient! I need to feel that I accomplished something by the end of this!! I was totally traumatized by that last cat attempt. It just didn't feel right being in that vicinity of a patient - yea know. But i must conquer the unknown!
10. 
    Nov 24, '07

    Joined: May '06; Posts: 769; Likes: 214

    I only started one foley in school, and that was during my senior preceptorship in the OR. I started foleys when I worked as a tech in school though - I did way more clinical skills working as a tech than I ever did during clinical time.
11. 
    Nov 25, '07

    Occupation: NICU RN Specialty: NICU Level III ; From: US ; Joined: Dec '04; Posts: 1,813; Likes: 501

    did two in the same day first semester
12. 
    Nov 25, '07

    Occupation: Plasma Center MSA Specialty: 8 year(s) of experience in LTC/SNF, Psychiatric, Pharmaceutical ; Joined: Jan '06; Posts: 486; Likes: 656

    My first Foley was a 32 y/o female in second semester. Managed to hit her just right on the first try too. My instructor said I did great, just "next time, don't chew gum while you do it." It had been a slow night in clinicals, one of my classmates had passed gum around, and I'd totally forgotten I was chewing it (I can chew gum for hours on end). Hopefully you all will forgive me for this long-ago lapse in professionalism. See, you CAN walk and chew gum at the same time...
    
    I'll tell you - at the time I got my license, there was a rash of UTIs going through the facility; every morning greeted me with several orders for I&O caths for lab. I got so good at it after this, I could blind-stick a badly contracted 90-year-old woman. So you'll have more chances. I've never mastered IV sticks, so don't feel bad.
13. 
    Nov 26, '07

    Joined: Oct '07; Posts: 25; Likes: 1

    3rd week of my first clinical rotation i did my first straight cath. it was on a 102 yo woman who has been bed ridden for who knows how long... it was really hard to find the meatus, even for my instructor... we both thought it was the clitoris... (ouch!) but finally we found it completely not where it should have been... the woman was a trooper and a half!
    
    i also helped with a straight cath on a man... my partner inserted and held the it in place while i pushed on the mans bladder for a good 20 min...his prostate was sooo enlarged. to add to the situation, he chooses to sleep in his recliner, (i dont think there was a bed in the room come to think about it) so we were bent over the entire time! talk about a pain in the back!

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