Irrigating suprapubic catheters

[shannon_LPN]

hi everyone!

i recently received a new order to irrigate a suprapubic cath q shift and my don showed me how to do it. after instilling 60 ml ns into the foley, she then aspirated it back into the syringe and reconnected the tubing. several other nurses have told me you are not supposed to aspirate the ns, but rather let it drain by gravity into a container. which way is correct?

thanks for the advice

[Amxixi29]

Hmm...I recently had to do that and I thought you just let what you irrigate into the catheter drain out by itself. This was what I was told to do at least.

[shannon_LPN]

that is what everyone else says too. just wondering why the don who has alot of nursing experience would teach otherwise........ guess it never hurts to get a "second opinion" lol!

[sm6531]

i agree with amxixi29

[Smokey9283]

I think that it is situational, If I remember correctly, the only time that one would aspirate back the fluid is if you are irrigating for blood clots, the nurse would discard the aspirated fluid and then insert fresh sterile saline and continue to follow that method until all clots are clear. Other wise they would let it flow out per gravity.

[shannon_LPN]

thanks smokey:bow: that clears it up a lot!

[msaaaz]

hay

what we are doing is that

we are using triple lumen cath.

1-for the urine

2-for the irrigation

3-ofcorse the ballon

we will irrigate the bladder with special solution then will calculate the out put and the balance will be as urine

[NursePeace]

It sounds like your DON was probably just doing it the "quickie" way. I would go with draining by gravity.