Second guessing myself after watching foley catheter insertion video

GOMER42 · Jul 16, 2009

It is generally uncomfortable for the patient but should NOT be painful.

You will have to do certain procedures that often cause pain- shots, IV starts, repositioning, etc. So get comfortable with the thought that you aren't always going to be babying your patient. It takes a little time to get used to, but you will.

Good luck with your studies.

Oz2 · Jul 16, 2009

I'm female and have had a Foley inserted....it wasn't painful at all. What kind of video was this? Seems like this would be low on the list of painful procedures unless there are extenuating circumstances with anatomy or something.

katmarieRN · Jul 16, 2009

What video were you looking at? I saw a few on youtube, but mostly the demonstrations were on manniquins. Anyway, I have had foleys inserted and have inserted foleys. As long as the patient expects it and you provide enough lubrication, the patient should not be in any pain. (Except as the PP said, in certain medical or anatomical issues).

Watch a few other videos and talk to a few people. Foleys are such a small part of a bigger job.

Good Luck!

tngranny · Jul 16, 2009

If the proper technique is used, a foley insertion is not painful. There will be other times however when a patient is going to feel pain. It comes with the territory.I hope that will not discourage you with your plans. Best of luck to you in sc

Elizabeth K. · Jul 16, 2009

It is generally uncomfortable for the patient but should NOT be painful.
You will have to do certain procedures that often cause pain- shots, IV starts, repositioning, etc. So get comfortable with the thought that you aren't always going to be babying your patient. It takes a little time to get used to, but you will.
Good luck with your studies.

Thanks! I can handle those other things, especially shots. I have a difficult time with the thought of the foley procedure because *I* can't handle any kind of pain there, so it makes me feel bad to think that I could be responsible for anyone else feeling pain in that area.

In the case of men, I was relating it to situations where the Dr. uses a long q-tip to obtain a culture (?). I have heard that is extremely painful, so I would assume that it would be with a catheter insertion as well ????

If anyone could clarify the scenario where a male pt. is involved, I'd appreciate it (comparing to q-tip culture).

Thanks to everyone for the replies. For those who asked, it was a youtube video where they demonstrated on a mannequin (as some really corny background music played :icon_roll ).

FlyingScot, RN · Jul 16, 2009

Once a woman I had just met asked me what I did for a living. I told her I was a flight nurse who transported sick babies. Her response, which totally shocked me, was "How can you stand a job where all you do is hurt babies?" After un-clenching my fists and picking my lower jaw off the floor I told her "I prefer to look at it as saving them which does sometime hurt and if I didn't do my job these babies would die. Do you think that's a better alternative?" It was her turn to stare gape-faced at me and then she slowly turned on her heel and walked away. Needless to say we never became friends (who'd want to with that kind of nasty attitude). My point is that it's all in how you look at it. Yes, many of the procedures we do are uncomfortable, even painful, but without them the patients would continue to be ill and suffering. I think a short period of discomfort is worth it in the long run if the end result is a healthy patient and that is our goal as nurses.

Elizabeth K. · Jul 16, 2009

Thanks, Flyinscot : That is a great way to look at it -- and it definitely explains why I think I'll be okay with shots. I always was bewildered by people who would rather try and tough the pain out instead of getting an iv and pain meds??? Another example would be my sister-in-law. She's had 5 kids and refused epidurals with all of them because she's afraid of needles. I'd rather have the few seconds of pain from a needle than endure hours and hours of pain from an injury or the pain of labor. I think the shot would be worth it because the end result would be suppression of pain. So, I just don't get why some people are so scared to get a shot. I guess it's easy for me to say, though. I've always been intrigued by shots and can sit there and watch while my blood is being drawn. But, I digress...

Back to the original question: is the discomfort that pts feel something that only lasts a few seconds?

Tait, MSN, RN · Jul 16, 2009

I would rather put in a foley any day than have to start IV's!

I too am someone who worried a lot about causing pain to patients, but what I have discovered is it makes me extremely in tune with pain control and benefits me more than causes me care issues.

Once you see that the things you do may be "temporarily painful" but in the end cause the patient relief, you get over it. Turning someone Q2 hours might be painful for a minute, but it saves them from months of healing from stasis ulcers and the embarrassment of sitting in incontinence.

No one said aiding in healing was easy for anyone :) but it's wonderful when you see that patient go home/rehab after taking diligent care.

Best of luck in school!

Tait

PS. We recently phased out CNA's doing foley's due to increased UTI's in our medicare patients (they won't pay for hospital aquired infections much anymore) and put it back in the hands of the RN's. So you might find you are trained to do them, however each facility had different practices.

justiceforjoy · Jul 16, 2009

^ Yep. Sort of like an IV insertion (well, not on the pain scale), because after it's inserted, you don't really feel it.

You watched the male video, didn't you? The one on youtube where the man is practically jumping out of bed during the insertion. I'm just guessing, but I'm pretty sure he had some sort of prostate issue, which made the insertion more sensitive than it usually is.

nitenurse02 · Jul 16, 2009

Yes any pain or discomfort the pt would feel is usually temporary. Sometimes they will feel pressure or even pain from a catheter that has been inserted previously but this can usually be fixed.

As far as causing pain to the pt, sometimes you just cant avoid it. Shots are one thing but dressing changes, posistion changes, and a myriad of other procedures cause pain. Our job is nursing is to deal with that pain in the best way we can. Simply by doing a task quickly, adjusting the task to the pt, giving pain meds, or even just holding their hand. As a nurse you WILL hurt your pts. There is no way around it. We learn ways to minimize and take away pain, but we must be prepared that there are some pains we can do nothing about.

Stick with it, dont give up because of this one aspect. But when you do hit the floor be sure to be perceptive of and responsive to your patients pain level and you will do great.

NurseNora, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2009

We do a lot of painful things. Making a patient get up and walk after surgery hurts, but it's necessary and in the long run, they'll be much better of for having done it. Most Foley's don't hurt, but as an OB nurse, I sometimes have to cath a woman after she's given birth and can't urinate. If it's been a rough delivery, she may be swollen so that it's difficult to find the urinary meatus, have lacerations or abraisions in the urethral area and it hurts to touch anything there. (we only have RN's doing this kind of cath insertion, don't worry). But explaining very clearly what is going to happen, why it has to be done, what will happen if it isn't done (the bladder muscle can be overstretched to the point that it doesn't work anymore or it could even rupture like a balloon), and being gentle, but firm and talking them thru the experience helps a patient cope. A lot of nursing is about helping your patient cope with unpleasant, uncomfortable, but necessary things. A lot of life is about learning to cope with unpleasant and uncomfortable things too.