Elimination, Catheter and Ostomy Care Flashcards

When providing routine care for a resident with an indwelling urinary catheter, where should the drainage bag be kept?

Answer: Below the level of the bladder without touching the floor

The drainage bag must stay below bladder level so urine flows down and cannot flow back into the bladder, which could cause infection. The bag should not touch the floor, because that contaminates it.

Which action is part of correct perineal catheter care?

Answer: Cleaning from the catheter insertion site down the catheter away from the body

Clean the catheter from the meatus downward, away from the body, using a clean area of the cloth for each stroke. This avoids carrying germs toward the urethra. The closed system must stay intact and the catheter must never be pulled.

You are measuring a resident's urinary output. What do you do after emptying the urine into the graduate (measuring container)?

Answer: Read the amount at eye level on a flat surface and record it

Place the graduate on a flat surface and read the measurement at eye level to get an accurate figure. Record it, then discard the urine and clean the container. Wear gloves throughout.

A resident with a colostomy has a pouch that is about two-thirds full of stool. What should the nursing assistant do?

Answer: Empty the pouch, following standard precautions

Pouches should be emptied when they are about one-third to one-half full, or according to the care plan, so the weight does not break the seal. Wear gloves and follow standard precautions. Changing the whole appliance is usually the nurse's job unless the care plan assigns it to you.

Which observation about a resident's urine should be reported to the nurse?

Answer: Dark, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, or blood in the urine

Dark, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, or blood in it, can signal infection or other problems. Nursing assistants observe and report; they do not diagnose.

When assisting a resident who is on a bedpan, which action promotes comfort and dignity?

Answer: Provide privacy, keep the call light within reach, and offer perineal care afterward

Respecting privacy, placing the call light within reach and offering hygiene afterward keep the resident comfortable and protect their dignity. Skills exams also expect the bedpan to be handled with gloves and standard precautions.