This is somewhat of a rant, and a discussion. So if I offend, I apologize, and those that get me, I'm glad we can relate. I work on a post-surgical unit where mobility is almost always an issue. And sometimes we get overflow from another unit where mobility is an issue.
Our unit is generally pretty standard about catheters. If you're having a surgery that will make physical therapy unable to see you for approximately a day, you have a foley catheter inserted. This is the standard, minus maybe one physician. And every patient that physician sends up post surgery ends up unable to void. With 300+ in their bladder. Yeah, they get an indwelling catheter too, except it's an extra step for the nurses because we have to call to get an order, etc. P.S. PACU nurses, it's annoying as crap when you send up someone and I scan them the second they get to the floor and they have like 500+ in their bladder.
Anyway, I'm a new nurse, and I'm wondering about your unit's policy. With surgeries that cause prolonged immobilization do your physicians always order catheters? I realize CAUTI is a huge problem, but I have seen physicians deny catheters on a patient with a known long history of urinary problems. I don't mind helping a pt to the bathroom, but 8 times a shift with a post-op and I have 5 patients and my nursing assistant has 14+? I don't want to seem crass, but even if my patient takes just 5 minutes total to get to the bathroom and back that's 40+ minutes a shift. How does your unit handle this if you are on a unit where EVERY patient cannot get up on their own?
