CATHETERIZATION

DEFINITION:
The introduction of a catheter into the bladder through the urinary meatus and urethral canal.
PURPOSES:
1. To relieve bladder distention.
2. To obtain sterile urine specimen.
3. To empty the bladder before the surgery where general and spinal anesthesia are used.
4. To check and or remove residual urine.
5. To prevent voiding when there are wounds in the genitor-urinary tract or other condition which make it
important that the area be kept clean and dry.
POINTS TO REMEMBER:
1. Never catheterized without a written order by the physician.
2. Exhaust all nursing measures to induce voiding before resorting to catheterization.
3. Rigid aseptic technique should be practiced.
4. Never use glycerine, it is irritant.
5. If the bladder is greatly distended, do not withdraw over 800 cc, at one time.
6. Usually 8 hours is the maximum length of time a patient should wait before voiding. Following pelvic
operations it is very important that the bladder nit become over distended.
EQUIPMENTS:
Sterile catheterization tray
KY jelly/water soluble
Syringe
Sterile water
Collection bag
Sterile pair of gloves
2 rubber catheters Fr. 14 and Fr. 16 for women/Fr. 18 and Fr. 20 for male
Pitcher with sterile solution
Perineal tray
Bedpan with cover
Flashlight/penlight
STEPS
1. Check physicians order.
2.
3.

4.
5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

RATIONALE
- Catheterization is dependent nursing
action.
Inform the client.
- To elicit cooperation.
Wash hands and observe other
- Handwashing deters the spread of
appropriate
infection
control
microorganisms.
procedures.
Provide for client privacy.
- Lessens embarrassment.
Place the client in the appropriate
- So the patient be relaxed and
position and drape all areas except the
convenient while doing the procedure
perineum.
and avoid interruption.
Establish adequate lighting. Stand on
the clients right if you are righthanded, on the clients left if you are
left-handed.
Arrange equipments to provide
- Placing equipment in order of use
convenience and to avoid having to
increase speed of performance.
reach over sterile field.
Reaching over sterile items increase
risk of contamination.
Don sterile gloves.
- Sterile equipment can be handled
without contamination when sterile
gloves are worn.
Lubricate catheter for about inch,
- Lubricant
reduces
friction
and
being careful not to plug eye of
facilitates easy insertion of catheter.

catheter.
10. Female
Place thumb and index finger between
labia minora, spread and then pull
upward, gloved hand separating labia is
now considered contaminated.
11. Cleanse exposed area of meatus
thoroughly. Move cotton ball from
above meatus down toward rectum.

12. Male
Use your non-dominant hand to grasp
the penis just below the glans. If
necessary, retract the foreskin. Hold the
penis firmly upright, with slight
tension.
13. Pick up a cleansing ball with the
forceps in your dominant hand and
wipe from the center of the meatus in a
circular motion around the glans.

14. Use a new ball and repeat three more

times.
15. Insert the catheter.
Grasp the catheter firmly 2-3 inches
from the tip. Ask the client to take a
slow deep breath, and insert the
catheter as the client exhales.
16. Advance the catheter 2 inches further
after the urine begins to flow through it.
17. For an indwelling catheter, inflate the
retention balloon with the designated
volume.
18. Hold catheter securely while bladder
empties. Avoid pushing and pulling
catheter in and out.If necessary,
attached the drainage end of an
indwelling catheter to the collecting
tubing and bag.
19. Examine and measure the urine. In
some cases, only 750-1000 ml of urine
are to be drained from the bladder at
one time.
20. Care of equipment and urine specimen
as required and record results.

Stretching tissue straighten labia fold

makes meatus visible for any insertion
of
catheter.
Touching
labia
contaminates gloves hands.

Moving from area where there is likely

to be less contamination to an area
where there is more contamination
prevent
spread
of
organism.
Thoroughly cleansing helps reduce
possibility of introducing organism into
the bladder.

Lifting the penis in this manner helps

straighten the urethra.

Moving from area where there is likely

to be less contamination to an area
where there is more contamination
prevent
spread
of
organism.
Thoroughly cleansing helps reduce
possibility of introducing organism into
the bladder.

Slight resistance is expected as the

catheter passes through the sphincter.

To be sure that the catheter is fully in

the bladder.

Withdrawal and reinsertion of catheter

creates friction thus provide discomfort
to the patient.

Removing more than 750-1000ml of

urine at one time causes bladder
damage and shock.