What's in-and-out?

Published

Hi guys, I was just wondering - what does "in-and-out" actually mean? I know it has something to do with a urinary catheter/bladder scan but what actually is it?

And if the "out" is 1400, (I'm assuming mL) What does that mean? And what does this mean for the patient?

Thank you!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

As far as I know it's measuring what goes in (water, for example) and what comes out (urine, for example). Just keeping track of fluids.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Oh wait, maybe you're referring to an IO cath? I think that means that the patient is catheritized and their bladder is drained, but then the cath is removed. So the 1400 would be how much urine was in the bladder.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
As far as I know it's measuring what goes in (water, for example) and what comes out (urine, for example). Just keeping track of fluids.

Ahh, okay. So if the out is 1400 mL, what does that mean? Is that good, is that normal?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Is there a specific appropriate term for how much urine there was in the bladder? I want to look up the normal values.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

generally when a IO cath has been ordered for a patient, there is a specific reason.. urinary retention for instance... there is no normal for the amount of urine that is drained during this procedure,, it depends on how much is in the bladder...If you have a patient that has an indwelling cath then it is considered normal for the output to be 0.5mL/kg/hr

I will add that 1400 mL is quite a lot -- normally people have the urge to void around 400 - 600 mL

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

I'm inclined to believe that the In-and-Out was due at 1400 (2:00 p.m.) perhaps(?) Usually, if the amount in the bladder exceeds a certain amount, but far less than 1400ml, the physician would order that the catheter remain in place. So, take another (closer) look at the order.;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in kids.
Oh wait, maybe you're referring to an IO cath? I think that means that the patient is catheritized and their bladder is drained, but then the cath is removed. So the 1400 would be how much urine was in the bladder.

That is typically called a "straight cath"

I and O is Intake and Output

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Ins and outs are measurements of what liquids are going into a patient and outs are fluid losses. Stands for intake and output. So intakes are liquids; intravenous fluids and medications, what they drink, and foods such as jello or soup. Output is measured through urine or blood loss. But there are fluid losses you can't measure such as perspiration and fluid losses through respiration. It's important to keep track. For instance, a patient I had the other day had only 100 mL of urinary output for an entire shift despite getting 100 mL of normal saline an hour. By tracking this we were able to determine that she had a kidney issue.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion