PCT Urinary Catheter Care 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary use of a straight (intermittent) catheter?
- To remain in the bladder for weeks at a time
- To drain the bladder once and then be removed immediately (Correct answer)
- To monitor continuous urinary output
- To irrigate the bladder with antibiotics
Correct answer: To drain the bladder once and then be removed immediately
A straight catheter is inserted to drain the bladder for a single procedure and then removed immediately once drainage is complete.
Question 2: Which information is most essential to document when caring for a catheterized patient?
- Only the color of the urine
- Catheter insertion date, urine output amount, color, clarity, and patient complaints (Correct answer)
- The patient's dietary preferences
- Only the total fluid intake for the shift
Correct answer: Catheter insertion date, urine output amount, color, clarity, and patient complaints
Comprehensive documentation includes insertion date, output amount, urine characteristics, and patient concerns to ensure safe continuity of care.
Question 3: What color should urine be in a well-hydrated catheterized patient?
- Dark amber or brown
- Red or pink
- Pale yellow to straw-colored (Correct answer)
- Bright orange
Correct answer: Pale yellow to straw-colored
Normal, well-hydrated urine should appear pale yellow to straw-colored; darker or abnormal colors may indicate dehydration, bleeding, or infection.
Question 4: How should catheter drainage tubing be positioned between the patient and the collection bag?
- Coiled tightly on the bed beside the patient
- Looped above the level of the drainage bag
- Free of kinks and dependent loops, hanging straight down (Correct answer)
- Elevated above the patient's bladder for better flow
Correct answer: Free of kinks and dependent loops, hanging straight down
Tubing must hang without kinks or dependent loops that could trap urine and impede drainage, increasing infection risk.
Question 5: When performing perineal catheter care on a female patient, where should cleaning begin?
- From the drainage bag upward toward the urethra
- From the anal area toward the urethral meatus
- From the urethral meatus outward in a single downward stroke (Correct answer)
- In a circular scrubbing motion around the entire perineum
Correct answer: From the urethral meatus outward in a single downward stroke
Cleaning must start at the urethral meatus and move outward to prevent dragging bacteria from surrounding areas into the urethral opening.
Question 6: Which combination of symptoms most strongly suggests a catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI)?
- Clear, pale yellow urine with no odor
- Urine output of 50 mL per hour
- Cloudy, foul-smelling urine with patient fever and discomfort (Correct answer)
- Slight pink urine immediately after catheter insertion
Correct answer: Cloudy, foul-smelling urine with patient fever and discomfort
CAUTI is characterized by cloudy or malodorous urine, fever, and patient complaints of pain or burning, which must be reported to the nurse promptly.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of a three-way urinary catheter?
- To simultaneously monitor three urine parameters
- To allow continuous bladder irrigation while draining urine (Correct answer)
- To hold three separate balloon inflation valves
- To connect to three different drainage bags
Correct answer: To allow continuous bladder irrigation while draining urine
A three-way catheter contains a third lumen for continuous bladder irrigation (CBI), commonly used after urological surgery to flush out blood clots.
PCT Urinary Catheter Care 2
What is the primary use of a straight (intermittent) catheter?