Irrigating a Urinary Catheter

Which action would the nurse take to manage continuous urinary catheter irrigation for a patient whose urine is bright red and contains clots?

Increase the irrigation drip rate. CORRECT. This is the correct answer. The nurse would increase the irrigation drip rate to flush the urinary tract until the urine was only tinged pink with blood.

Which instruction might the nurse give to nursing assistive personnel (NAP) helping to care for a patient receiving bladder irrigation?

"Measure and report the patient's temperature to me every 4 hours." CORRECT. This is the correct answer. Measuring and reporting temperature is a skill that may be delegated to NAP

Which action is most important in reducing the risk for infection in a patient receiving open intermittent irrigation of a urinary catheter?

Cleaning the end of the drainage tubing with an antiseptic wipe before reconnecting it to the catheter CORRECT. This is the correct answer. Swabbing the end of the drainage tubing with an antiseptic wipe before reconnecting it to the catheter reduces the number of pathogens that migrate from the tubing directly into the bladder.

During intermittent open bladder irrigation, a patient complains of pain. Which action would the nurse take first?

Examine the drainage tubing for clots, sediment, and kinks. CORRECT. This is the correct answer. If the patient complained of pain during intermittent open bladder irrigation, the nurse would first examine the drainage tubing for clots, sediment, and kinks.

Which action would the nurse take to minimize a patient's risk for injury during urinary catheter irrigation?

Use slow, even pressure when injecting the irrigating fluid. Adhere to aseptic technique during the irrigation process. Monitor the patient's temperature every 4 hours. CORRECT. This is the correct answer. Using slow, even pressure during the instillation of fluid into the bladder helps avert bladder trauma.