Urethral Catheterisation.

Like other stations this always involves a model but you must remember to talk as though it’s a person. This can be a male or female model, here we will discuss male catheterisation.

1. Start by introducing yourself, explaining what you are going to do and obtain consent.

2. Get your equipment ready. This is a catheterisation pack, a 16G Foley catheter, a catheter bag, antiseptic solution, sterile gloves, lignocaine gel and a 10ml saline-filled syringe.

3. Position the patient on his back with legs slightly apart.

4. Using an aseptic technique open the catheter pack and pour antiseptic solution into the receiver.

5. Wash and dry your hands then put on the sterile gloves.

6. Drape the patient and place a collecting vessel between the patients legs.

7. Hold the penis with a sterile swab and clean the penis thoroughly. Remember to retract the foreskin and clean around the urethral meatus.

8. Insert the lignocaine gel and hold the meatus closed with pressure from the swab. Indicate that the anaesthetic needs 5 minutes to work.

9. Hold the penis vertically with one hand and with the other hold the catheter by its sleeve. Advance the catheter tip from its sleeve and insert into the urethra.

10. Progressively insert the catheter ensuring that neither your hand nor the sleeve touch the penis until the end arm reaches the meatus.

11. Inflate the balloon using 5ml of saline, ensuring that it does not cause any pain.

12. Attach the catheter bag.

13. Gently pull on the catheter until resistance is felt. This is when the balloon will be resting on the urethral opening of the bladder.

14. Reposition the foreskin.

15. Afterwards record the volume of urine collected in the catheter bag and ensure that the patient is comfortable.