Who are the relevant patients
The usage of Foley urinary catheters (IUC) is usually required in the cases with chronically compromised illnesses within older adults, however, not limited to other age groups. Moreover, Foley catheters can be used on patients who are temporarily unable to void or experience urinary incontinence.
If the bladder isn’t emptied for some time, the urine may build up and lead to kidney pressure and further subsequent dangerous outcomes. Therefore, urinary catheters are an effective solution to urinary inability issues.
Foley Urinary catheters are usually kept for a short period of time until a person may complete the urinary function on their own (MediLine Plus, 2019). However, elderly people with chronic illnesses or permanent injuries may need to permanently use indwelling catheters.
They are also placed in case of an immediate need to decompress the bladder and for the timely measurement of the urine volume to subsequently provide appropriate treatment.
People tend to use indwelling catheters not only in the hospital settings but also as a part of home-care programs, which may put the patients in danger of developing an infectious disease in case of poor maintenance.
There is also a distinction in patients’ time usage of ICU, where the catheter may be kept for hours or, in other cases, for years.
Foley catheters may be placed on each person who requires it, from children to older adults.
Children require a more precise approach to the attachment of the ICU. A specific size catheter must be used depending on a kid’s age (Indwelling urinary catheter, 2020). A wrongfully chosen catheter size may result in urethral trauma or leakage. Moreover, since children are more sensitive, they need more check-ups and attention.
Evidently, studies confirm that around 14% of hospitalized adults will need an indwelling urinary catheter during a particular time of their stay due to various medical conditions (Safdar et al., 2016).
It is not only the diseases that are connected to urinal difficulties that may require a Foley catheter but also mental states like multiple sclerosis or dementia.
Even though all age and sex groups may be suitable for the usage of ICU, older people would make it more accurate to assess as they define the majority of the population who require and use urinal catheters.
Intervention
The treatment by a Foley urinary catheter requires a lot of accuracies and detailed maintenance, where, if failed, it may lead to the unfortunate development of other infectious conditions. The primary purpose of such a device is to collect urine in a bag attached to the person’s leg.
Indwelling urinary catheters are the ones that are left in the bladder, which is universal for short and long-term use. The Foley catheter collects urine inside the drainage bag that can be emptied after some time (MediLine Plus, 2019). Some of such bags are functional and can be attached to a leg, where a person may wear their regular clothes over it
There are several ways of the ICU attachment, the most common being insertion through the urethra – a tube transporting the urine from one’s bladder outside of the body. In some instances, a medical specialist may attach a catheter through a hole in the stomach. A small balloon attached to the catheter allows the tube to stay inside the organism; however, it may be deflated when needed to be removed.
There are several conditions under which a Foley Urinary catheter is placed, the first being short-term for acute urinary retention. It is caused by a sudden inability to void, the need to decompress the bladder, and the requirement to monitor the intake and output. The second one is a temporary relief of bladder pain. Others are long-term, involving chronic and irreversible health conditions, requiring aid in urination.
Inappropriate treatment may lead to the development of complications and dangerous infections that subsequently may threaten one’s life.
Complications of indwelling catheter use include:
- Latex allergy
- Bladder stones
- Blood infections
- Kidney Infections
- Urinary Infection
- Blood in the urine
- Kidney damage
- Urethral injury
- Bladder cancer
Nurse’s Necessary Precautions
Make sure the drainage is not emptied too fast as it may cause bladder infections.
Check on the patient every 1-4 hours to make sure the bag is not overflowing
The IDC insertion site should be assessed daily to ensure that it is comfortably attached to the genitalia.
Timely change the catheter to avoid complications.
Make sure the patient is well-hydrated, as it prevents the development of a urinary tract infection.
Ensure a secure position of a drainage bag, so it does not create severe discomfort to a person.
Assess the patient’s condition in order to develop the best plan on attaching a urinary catheter.
Thoroughly clean the reusable catheters to prevent the patient’s from urinary tract infections.
Purpose
To decrease the cases of acquiring urinary tract infections due to the negligence or lack of proper knowledge of the nurses.
Practice Question
To determine the greatest risk factors or causes of a condition Are patients in the hospital (P) who have indwelling Foley catheter (I) Compared to those who have external catheters (C) at increased risk for Acquired Urinary Tract Infections (O) over a hospital stay (T)?
Background
Nurses must get familiar with the provided information to adapt the best practices for the patients and avoid acquiring urinary tract infections.
This evidence-based report is expected to be used by nurse practitioners as a guide for their nursing care.
Health practitioners must be able to promptly identify any discomfort or pain a patient may experience and to be able to efficiently manage the situation.
Evidence-Based Research
Review of the recommended and relevant literature, which provided appropriate information for the further development of the conclusion.
Objectives
Encourage patients to request information about their treatment.
Increase the level of threat awareness among health providers for each method of urinary catheters.
Enhance the service of the Health Centers.
Improve patient safety.
Recommendations
Each nurse should thoroughly study a patient’s health history before implementing one of the practices aimed at bladder control.
Develop a system, which would notify the assigned nurse to check on the patient, empty or change the drainage bag.
Conclusion
It is vital for a nurse practitioner to provide as much attention as possible to a person with a temporary or constant inability to control the bladder and provide them with the most feasible practice available.
Due to the high chance of developing a urinary infection, nurses must be well-educated about the possible outcomes of such negligence.
It is essential to identify the difference between indwelling and external catheters and their implication.
Health providers must make sure to prevent any occurrence of discomfort or infection from the indwelling catheter usage.
References
Indwelling urinary catheter – insertion and ongoing care. (2020). The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourn. Web.
Mediline Plus. (2019). Urinary catheters. Medlineplus. Web.
Safdar, N., Codispoti, N., Purvis, S., & Knobloch, M. J. (2016). Patient perspectives on indwelling urinary catheter use in the hospital.American Journal of Infection Control, 44(3), e23–e24. Web.