Would I have to do catheters at every place I work?

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I was considering LPN training because I want to help people. But I recently realized lpns do catheters and I would so not enjoy that. I can handle everything else. Would you still have to do this at assisted living, etc?

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Specializes in Cardiac (adult), CC, Peds, MH/Substance.

You get over it after a while if you don't like it.

In LTC, you may put them in. In a minute clinic or Carenow kind of place, you probably won't. Same for most drug treatment, jail's, etc.

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There's a lot I don't like doing, but I do it anyway because I'm a nurse and I want to give great care. I don't like the bodily fluids get splashed on me or having to catch the man who's falling covered in bloody vomit. It's just part of the job.

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Specializes in Short Term/Skilled.

Not every aspect of nursing is enjoyable. There are things we have to do that would make a grown man blush.

If you have an issue with inserting a catheter there will be a great number of other things you'll find you don't enjoy.

As for your question, it probably wouldn't come up very often if at all, but you'd have to do it in school and during clinical.

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Specializes in LTC and Pediatrics.

I have been a LPN for two years and work LTC. I have only done one catheter insertion in that time.

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I was considering LPN training because I want to help people. But I recently realized lpns do catheters and I would so not enjoy that. I can handle everything else. Would you still have to do this at assisted living, etc?

NO ONE enjoys placing catheters that I know of. Or maybe someone a little weird. Whether you can handle everything else remains to be seen, as you haven't actually done anything an LPN would learn to do and need to do in the course of her job. Most people go into nursing with fanciful ideas of wanting to be a nurse because they want to help people. You can help people in many ways without going through a nursing program, clinical rotations, and taking a licensing exam.

Find out how you can shadow an LPN in a nursing home and see what she does. Then decide if you can handle it, and even if you want to. good luck in your choices.

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Have only inserted one foley in the last decade.

But then I work in Canada and have more options than most US LPNS.

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Specializes in Short Term/Skilled.
NO ONE enjoys placing catheters that I know of. Or maybe someone a little weird.

I jumped up and down the last two times because they were the first two times and I reallllyyyy wanted some practice. I'm most certainly weird, though so you're totally right, hehe.

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I work in LTC and I straight cath one gentleman twice per shift every single day, another that has a PRN order for straight cathing if he doesn't wet at least once every 8 hours, and off-hand I would say 10-12 residents (male and female) that have Foley and suprapubic catheters that are changed monthly (and PRN if there are complications), and condom catheters that are changed daily.

You get over it. Quickly.

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Re:

I remember the first time I was a part of catheterizing a patient while in nursing school clinicals. I damn near fainted, and another student had to take my place.

I got over it because the areas that I worked (Hospital, LTC/Nursing Home) in, it was a regular part of my job. The only area I didn't have to do caths were Doctor Offices & Dialysis. I'm in Upstate NY.

Final answer where you end up working will determine if you'll have that job duty.

P.S. If you want to have a career in the hospital, your better off going for your BSN. BSN will be required by 2025 of hospitals having or wanting Magnet status.

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Twice per shift? That's brutal. Why not get him a foley?

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