Skill 79
Urinary Catheter Care and Removal
Bacterial growth is common where the catheter enters the urethral meatus in both men and women. Perform catheter care each shift as part of routine perineal care, after bowel incontinence, or if secretions accumulate around the urinary meatus. Removal of a retention catheter requires the use of clean technique. You deflate the retention balloon before removal. If the retention catheter balloon remains even partially inflated, its removal will result in trauma and subsequent swelling of the urethral meatus. Always remove an indwelling catheter as soon as possible after insertion because of risk for catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI).
Delegation Considerations
The skill of performing routine catheter care and removing a catheter can be delegated to nursing assistive personnel (NAP). The nurse instructs NAP to:
Equipment
For Removing a Catheter
▪ 10-mL or larger syringe without needle—information on balloon size (mL) is printed directly on balloon inflation valve (Fig. 79-1)
▪ Correctly labeled sterile specimen container
▪ Alcohol or other disinfectant swab
▪ 25-gauge -inch needle (if not a needleless system) or Luer-Lok syringe for a needleless catheter port (if culture and sensitivity are to be obtained before catheter removal)
▪ Washcloth and warm water to perform perineal care after removal