Posts Tagged ‘catheterization.’
Female urinary catheterization. Was it done properly?
I went to urologist today. He is an older, old-school doctor. No bedside manner, but knows his stuff. He diagnosed me 15 months ago with intersticial cystitis. Doc did an ultrasound today and said I had urinary retention and he broke out the catheter. Never had this before. I asked is it was okay to do it since I started mentruating yesterday and had a tampon in. No prob, he said. Then he says okay drop your drawers. So there I am on the table with nothing but a thin paper cover that ended up above my waist anyway with a tampon string hanging out. (It felt pretty humiliating.) Doc put on gloves, but didn’t seem to use any sterile techniques. No sterile drape. I don’t think he did any sterile cleansing of the area. He just started prodding around to find the uretha and stuck the catheter in. After the procedure, during which 4 cc’s of urine was passed, he ordered a cysto and ultrasound. Then gave me a scrip for an antibiotic to take for two days to make sure that I don’t get infection from cath. Am I overreacting, or does this sound way to unsanitary and informal?
Thanks Booyah. As if the whole process were not humiliating enough, you ask if I know that blood and urine come from different holes? Of course I do. But I also know that those “holes” are very close to one another. And I’ve given many urine samples where I’m told to do clean catch specimen which requires wiping with a sterile cleaning cloth. So I am wondering if the lack of sterile technique could increase chance of infection and whether those who are familiar with the procedure would find his techniques concerning.
Thanks to all of those who took time to provide thoughtful responses (the others…wondering why they bother to respond). I will be changing docs. thanks.