PREVENTION OF INAPPROPRIATE SELF-EXTRACTION OF FOLEY CATHETERS

Course overview

PREVENTION OF PAINFUL, TRAUMATIC FOLEY CATHETER REMOVALS AND EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF CATHETER MAL-POSITIONING CAN MINIMIZE PAIN, URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS, DISCOMFORT, AND HEMATURIA AS WELL AS ELIMINATE LONG-TERM COMPLICATIONS OF URETHRAL STRICTURES AND INCOMPLETE BLADDER EMPTYING. IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR THE EARLY REMOVAL OF THE FOLEY CATHETER. TRAUMATIC, UNINTENDED FOLEY CATHETER EXTRACTIONS, WHETHER PATIENT-INITIATED OR ACCIDENTAL, CAN CAUSE PERMANENT UROLOGIC COMPLICATIONS, AFFECT HOSPITAL LENGTH OF STAY, DECREASE PATIENT SATISFACTION GRADES, INCREASE CATHETER-ASSOCIATED URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS (CAUTIS), AND LOWER HOSPITAL QUALITY SCORES. THESE INJURIES ARE USUALLY MANAGED WITH CATHETER REPLACEMENT FOR 10 TO 14 DAYS (OPTIMAL) OR WITH JUST OBSERVATION. RARELY, THEY CAN CAUSE SEVERE, EVEN LIFE-THREATENING HEMATURIA THAT MAY REQUIRE PELVIC ARTERIAL EMBOLIZATION TO CONTROL. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PREVENTION OF INAPPROPRIATE SELF-EXTRACTION OF FOLEY CATHETERS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MINIMIZING THIS EVENT.