Nursing student afraid of urinary catheters!

Juniper248 · May 30, 2012

From what I've read on this forum, you will be performing a LOT of catheterizations in student clinicals.

SonOfStBenedict · May 30, 2012

Hello All...
I am going to be starting the nursing program at my college this fall. There is just one thing..I am afraid of inserting a urinary catheter!. Well not so much afraid but Im a guy and get that "feeling" in the guy area just thinking of having to put a long skinny tube..well you know where. The same goes for thinking about it for a female. I know this probably sounds stupid, but how do I over come this? will every nurse out in the field be putting in urinary catheters once in their career? anyway around it...
Sorry for the silly post but i was thinking about it today and wanted to get some advice and input on the subject...does anyone else ever think of this or have a problem with it

It's a common feeling, don't worry! You have to get used to getting really close in peoples private space. The first time I had to do a cath insertion I had help (our clinical instructors encourage us to help each other as many programs do), most times you use a numbing agent so you're not necessarily hurting the pt, it may be a tad uncomfortable. You'll get used to alot of stuff lord knows, one day a group of us out to eat and somehow we started talking about Catheters and waste... One of my classmates said that's how you know youre in NS when you can sit around and talk about pee and poo and still have an appetite lol

JBMmom, MSN, NP · May 30, 2012

It's not silly to have a fear, everyone's learning and adjusting to totally new experiences. Some of the students in my class went through all four semesters without a single cath. I've probably done about 8 or so. It definitely gets easier. You'll be amazed at the things that you think will make you squeamish, but once it's time to do it, you'll be fine. Don't get yourself too freaked out, try to observe someone else first and then you'll see it's not so bad.

FORTHELOVEOF!!!! · May 30, 2012

I had the same anxiety myself, but after I did one I felt silly for being so nervous about it. It's not as bad as you think, just something you have to do to provide care for your patients.

Jen_Jen88 · May 31, 2012

I've only done condom catheter so far. But don't worry you will never be alone, your instructor or another nurse will be there to guide you through it.

OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN · May 31, 2012

I've done straight cath's, condom cath's, and foley cath's. It's not that bad and believe me after your first clinical semester you will get over a lot of that stuff. Don't worry there plenty of different skills I was worried about but I was able to do all of them and actually really have enjoyed that aspect of nursing.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · May 31, 2012

From what I've read on this forum, you will be performing a LOT of catheterizations in student clinicals.

I can count on one hand the number of catheters I placed while in nursing school.

To the OP, it's something you get used to. People who have to be cath'd need it for some reason... you don't usually place foley catheters in ambulatory people.

JustMe78 · May 31, 2012

You will overcome it. I have cathed my son since he was 6 months old, he is now 12! I am one of those people who reacts badly to being cathed, but after cathing him the first few times it became second nature and I no longer cringed at the thought of cathing someone else.

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · May 31, 2012

Sorry for the silly post but i was thinking about it today and wanted to get some advice and input on the subject...does anyone else ever think of this or have a problem with it

Don't worry dear, before long you will be perfectly comfortable shoving all manner of things into all manner of available orifices.

RLtinker, LPN · May 31, 2012

As a guy myself, I can say you will quickly become numb to a lot of stuff that may have bugged you before. Our normal as nursing students makes normal mortals cringe. Caths, needles, blood, stool, giving other people baths, you just get used to it.

grownuprosie · May 31, 2012

From what I've read on this forum, you will be performing a LOT of catheterizations in student clinicals.

I WISH!!! I have 2 weeks left on Med surg and I have not once put in a catheter! To the OP, as evidenced by my exclamation points, you will see that once you get into clinicals you will be ecstatic over trying new skills... even the ones that freak you out in theory. When it comes down to it, you are helping your pt and that is all you are thinking about. Trust me on this. It is the only way to get through digital sphincter stimulation on your constipated spinal pts.