Using Bladder Scanner when does it indicate catheterization

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Can you please help me? If I have a patient that cant' void and I use a bladder scanner on them, can you please tell me what information would indicate that I would need to catheterize my patient.

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Specializes in psych. rehab nursing, float pool.

Some urologist specifically order cath for amounts greater than....

Our protocol if we do not have a specific order is we cath for greater than 250cc. We always allow the patient to try and void first. if not able to bring residual lower than 250cc then we will straight cath.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

you are using the scanner to evaluate the patient for urinary retention. this often happens in patients who have some degree of neurogenic bladder (http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/uvahealth/adult_urology/neurblad.cfm). so, the scanner is a tool being used to assist the healthcare professional and tell them how much urine is present in the bladder. why is that important to know? at what amount of urine in the neurogenic bladder is the person going to begin to "dribble" urine and have an incontinence problem? the other concern is how long do you want the patient to go without emptying the bladder of urine? what is the danger of urine sitting for long hours in bladder? think about the requirements that an infection needs to thrive and what is going on with someone who has the kind of condition that causes them to have a neurogenic bladder and who is being intermittently catheterized. how long do you want to leave the urine that accumulates in that bladder?

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