Protocol Pre/Post Urinary Catheterization

[CarribRN]

Just wondering, we don't have a very defined protocol in our unit regarding urinary catheterization. You guys mind sharing what you have in place in your unit. Normally in our ward we just collect urine sample pre and post catheterization for urine culture and that's it. But there are some loop holes. Like what if the patient who's catheter was just discontinued and then a day after started to develop urinary problem and requires to be recatheterized. Is it practical to collect another urine sample for culture test? Is there a literature there that would tell us what to do in cases such as this?

Appreciate your reply.

[Isabelle49]

Just wondering, we don't have a very defined protocol in our unit regarding urinary catheterization. You guys mind sharing what you have in place in your unit. Normally in our ward we just collect urine sample pre and post catheterization for urine culture and that's it. But there are some loop holes. Like what if the patient who's catheter was just discontinued and then a day after started to develop urinary problem and requires to be recatheterized. Is it practical to collect another urine sample for culture test? Is there a literature there that would tell us what to do in cases such as this?

Appreciate your reply.

I would think that if your policy is to collect a sample pre cath, then you would do so if the patient had to be recatheterized a day later. But, that could get pretty expensive. You would still be able to get the post cath urine sample results and most likely the patient would not have changed before the re cath.

[GatorNurse10]

Interesting.. we don't have a policy to collect samples pre- or post- cath so I don't unless the MD has specifically ordered the test. I am assuming your hospital does this to determine if a UTI is related to the cath or not, right?