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HOW
TO CATHETERIZE YOURSELF USING CLEAN TECHNIQUE
(Female Patient)
1. Gather the necessary equipment:
towelettes (or a soapy washcloth and a wet
washcloth for rinsing), a towel, a container
for collecting the urine (if toilet is not
available), water-soluble lubricant, and a
catheter (#14 French, about 5 inches long)
You may also have on hand an anesthetic lubricant
such as 'lidocaine jelly'.
2. Wash your hands, then assume
a comfortable position in bed or on the toilet.
If you are in bed, place a towel under your
hips to protect the bedding.
3. Wash the urinary meatus
with a towelette or soapy washcloth. Then
rinse with a wet washcloth.
4. Apply water-soluble lubricant
to the insertion end of the catheter. Lubricate
about one inch of tubing.
5. Use your nondominant hand
to separate the labia.
6. Hold the catheter in your
dominant hand and insert it into the urinary
meatus, directing it upward and forward toward
the umbilicus (belly button) until the urine
flows freely.
7. Hold the catheter in place
until the bladder has been drained. When the
urine flow begins to taper off, slowly withdraw
the catheter. (As you do, you may note an
increase in urine flow as urine pockets are
drained.)
8. Remove the catheter. Wash
it in warm, soapy water, and rinse it thoroughly.
Then air-dry it and store it in a dry paper
or cloth towel until you need it again. At
the end of one week, discard the catheter.
However, if it becomes hard to clean before
then, use a new one.
9.
Look at the urine for changes. If you see
any change in color or odor or if the urine
appears cloudy, contact your nurse or doctor.
Also call if you have:
•
Bleeding
•
Sediment
in the urine
•
Back
or abdominal discomfort accompanied by a fever
•
Trouble
passing the catheter
•
Increased
discomfort when passing the catheter.
10. Catheterize periodically
to maintain bladder volumes around 12 - 13
ounces (or a bit more than half a pint), which
is the best volume for maintaining a healthy
bladder and kidneys.
TIPS
FOR MANAGING RECURRENT URINARY INFECTIONS
1. Increase frequency of catheterizations
to every four hours around the clock.
2. Hold the catheter and container
below the level of the bladder while draining
so to insure complete emptying of bladder.
For patients who are in bed or in a wheelchair,
this means holding catheter and recepticle
well below the hip to allow adequate drainage
of urine under force of gravity.
3. After voiding, the catheter
should be removed slowly to allow complete
emptying of bladder and urethra.
4. Catheters with blunt tips
can harbor bacteria in the end even after
rinsing and air-drying. A catheter with a
small hole in the tip (called a Councill-tip
catheter) can be used instead to allow adequate
drainage between catheterizations.
5. Catheters can be sterilized
in the microwave after use. Setting should
be at 1050 watts for 12 minutes.
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