Fundamentals of Nursing Q 128
A patient is catheterized with a #16 indwelling urinary (Foley) catheter to determine if:
A. Trauma has occurred.
B. His 24-hour output is adequate.
C. He has a urinary tract infection.
D. Residual urine remains in the bladder after voiding.
Correct Answer: B. His 24-hour output is adequate.
A 24-hour urine output of less than 500 ml in an adult is considered inadequate and may indicate kidney failure. This must be corrected while the patient is in the acute state so that appropriate fluids, electrolytes, and medications can be administered and excreted. Indwelling catheterization is not needed to diagnose trauma, urinary tract infection, or residual urine.
Option A: Urinary bladder catheterization is performed for both therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Based on the dwell time, the urinary catheter can be either intermittent (short-term) or indwelling (long-term).
Option C: Cystitis, urethritis, prostatitis (common infectious etiology in men), and vulvovaginitis in the woman can cause urinary retention.
Option D: Brain or spinal cord injury, cerebrovascular accident, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease, and dementia can lead to urinary retention.