When did you start your first Foley?

Nursing Students General Students

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Just wondering what semester you were in when you actually did a cath on an actual patient.

I am in 1st semester and and the only one in my clinical group to have attempted one...things did not go well, the cath didn't go in, and the RN couldn't get it in either. Anyway, I at least gave it a shot...and I hope to get one in during my last clinical after the Thanksgiving break.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.

Second clinicals. I couldn't get it. Clinical instructor couldn't get it and two other nurses couldn't get it. They finally got it and another student from a different school was told to get a urine sample. Walked out with the syringe to show the nurse how clear the urine was. Nurse goes running into the room and asked where she pulled the sample from and the student goes the port. She drained the balloon but luckily the pt didn't pull the cath out.

Don't worry about it after this happened we were all sitting there talking about the pt and one of the Charge nurses came up and told us that she's been a nurse for 15 years and has only put one foley in successfully. She said everyone has an achilles heal and that's hers. Made me feel better about the whole situation.

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I am in my 3rd semester out of 6. I put in my first one a few weeks ago. It was on a male, so the target is a lot easier to hit than on a female.

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

3rd semester here, and still waiting....got a feeling I may be the one who they start calling around the ERs to find a foley for me to do....

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Specializes in NP / USAFR Flight Nurse.

I hadnt done one on a person (only a dummy in the lab) until I floated to the ER. I must have done a million straight caths in the ER. Dont stress, you will get a chance to perfect it before you finish.

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I did my first in 3rd term of 4. I was so thrilled & later found out that I was also very fortunate to do it. It was on a disabled woman who almost constantly had a very hovering mother there who was very picky about who touched her daughter. The nurse asked if I could do it & she agreed, I suspect because I was a much older student ( 56). The nurse helped me & gave me some really good advice along the way.

That's the only one I did but I did get to do a straight cath too. I've heard of even some RN grads who have not gotten the experience until they were actually working so don't be too worried.

By the way, check out the "articles" section. Someone posted a very good article about putting in a foley. I learned a lot from it.

Dixie

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Specializes in SICU, MICU, CICU, NeuroICU.

5th and last semester ... haven't attempted ... yet

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Specializes in Peds, PICU, Home health, Dialysis.

I did one on a a male my FIRST day of hospital clinicals -- it didn't go perfect but I was able to get it in. I have also been able to straight cath a baby.

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Specializes in Cardiac/ED.

I placed one in a female in my second semester...the patient had just had a procedure and was still very sedated...easy easy...did it with my nurse and not with the instructor so that took some pressure off. P2

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Specializes in Urgent Care.

I drew off of central lines before I did foleys LOL

3rd semester i got my first opportunity, and have only done 3 so far. Most already have them by the time I egt there. i di get to teach a male how to do a self cath though.

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I have 4 weeks left of my 3rd semester and I haven't started one yet [on a human.]

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Specializes in ER.

I put in my first foley 2nd semester when I did my OB Rotation.. but I externed in the ER over the summer and now I am a PRO, whoever needed a foley they alwasy grabbed me.. If you havent put one in yet do not worry you will have plenty of time to perfect that skill!

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