Patient requesting to use adult briefs during colonoscopy, rather than cath?

[Pplexed]

A patient made a request today, that they be allowed to use adult briefs during and after a colonoscopy, rather than being catherized. The PT was recently diagnosed with MS, and is completely bowel and bladder incontinent. In terms of a cognative capacity, the PT was extremely intelligent (former med student, until MS diagnosis). The PT stated that due to the fact they have a solitary kidney, they should not be cathed in any capacity for any procedure as it exaserbates infection, and have the right to refuse any aspect of treatment. What are the thoughts on this? What is your current policy when dealing with incontinent patients, procedures, and catheterization? Unfortunately, what complicated matters, is that this individual was training to be a doctor and was telling me what to do and how to do it. To me such a request does not matter, however I do not want to be cleaning up urine after an exam if briefs or a cath is not used.

[Traci88]

The best thing to do is to let him have the brief. We are there to take care of the patients. Why should he have to go through getting a foley for your convenience?

[PediLove2147, BSN, RN]

The best thing to do is to let him have the brief. We are there to take care of the patients. Why should he have to go through getting a foley for your convenience?

I agree, especially if there is a possibility for an infection.

[CaDad]

If a PT does not want to be cathed what is the problem? I recently took a neighbor to the hospital and you would not believe the hoopla it caused when he refused to have a foley. he has the right, he was not unconsciousness or in any way incapacitated so he could not use a urine bottle if he had to, I finally told the nurse to just note it on the chart.This insistence on using foly's is just plain ridiculous.