Hi Carolyn Coleman-Grady here, Sunday I was thinking about treasures, and how often we possess them but we never open the box. We fill our treasure box with old businesses we’ve tried over the years, for one reason or another the expectations were not meet so we leap from one networking internet business to another. We master the cycle of back and forth seeking the perfect solution, and forgetting that within the box we’ve closed there’s gold. What we must remember, it takes time to build, if we look for instant gratification our business will go inside the treasure box with the others. You know that old saying, “its gold in those hills” I’d like to say there is gold in that old treasure box. Don’t you think it is worth another look? A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid. J. R. R. Tolkien I love this quote, it reminds me that my business is a treasure and I have the key. Internet marketing is like a treasure hunt it reminds me of that old saying “its’ gold in those hills.” Unlock your treasures today it may be gold.

http://www.perfume.com [Viral]- Marketing Gone Wild Carolyn Coleman-Grady Better Web Builder [Viral]- Marketing Gone Wild Viral Marketing, viral advertising, or marketing buzz are buzzwords referring to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increase… (Wikipedia) Nurses see viral as infectious, spreading from one host to the other and usually we provided teaching out reducing its spread. However, with viral marketing, we want it to be infectious and contagious. Viral Marketing takes unique techniques something different others would love to review further. When a commercial advertises something new, like Carl’s junior new biscuit breakfast my sons wanted to rush out right away to try it, the commercial shows this huge biscuit filled with items, deep voice saying try this new biscuit and it drew them right away. Another example of viral marketing is the new mattress commercials with the cheetah eating and partying during work time, this commercial is going wild on the video viral scene. These are just two examples of the techniques that are used to draw people. I believe it is important to consider how you are marketing your product, what marketing buzz words you use and how you advertise your information on existing social network. One important key, limited the amount of information on your website, make sure it is not busy it may overwhelm your visitor. Create an advertising buzzword that causes people to repeat it again . Have a great day and thanks for stopping by your comments are appreciated Carolyn Coleman-Grady Viral Marketing Gone Wild

http://www.perfume.com I'd like to invite you to IBOTOOLBOX. This is a platform that allows you to advertise your services and products for free. Signing up is easy, just complete your profile and immediately receive 100 credits. For joining I will match your credits giving you 200 credits. Now this is an opportunity you will not want to pass up. Join the IBO spirit today and watch your business traffic increase. Welcome to IBOTOOLBOX the best internet platform on the net. See you there. Carolyn Coleman-Grady IBOTOOLBOX Member http://www.ibosocial.com/nursingaffliate

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Family

Family at one time meant spending Sundays with each other fellowshipping, watching sports or a favorite movie while the smell of dinner soothed our tummies. Now, children come home to an empty house. Parents remain at work meals come straight from the refrigerator to the micro-wave. A parent coming home to tire from a long day’s work to ask was each other’s day. It amazes me how far away we've moved from those old values of spending time together, comforting one another and lending a listening ear.

Family in my mind remains high priority; we must continue to teach the traditions in our families to our children, supporting one another, embracing each other ideas, fears and excitements. Love one another unconditionally. This year plan a special days that does not include computers, cell phones, video games or ipad, and just spend time talking to one another building strong bonds between each other this is what family is all about.

Have a great family day

Carolyn Coleman-Grady

Building bridges that are unbreakable.

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Need a site to  generate leads and prospects? Want to advertise you business? Well, I have the platform for you. IBOTOOLBOX. This platform is free, you simple need to join. No catch, no gimicks. You may advertise your business here. Search engines like google, yahoo will pick up your advertisement.

There are over 200,000 members and counting. What are you waiting for join today advertise you exisiting business and watch your leads begin to grow.

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Enjoy your day Catch the IBO spirit Go IBO

Carolyn Coleman-Grady

 

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Skype:coleman-grady52

 

Palliative care

Patients and families have many questions about palliative care. Palliative care can be provided in the home. Community based services such as home care offer palliative care. It is a service provided when a patient and family have not decided to utilize the services of hospice.

Often times patients and families are not ready to stop chemotherapy and or radiation treatments. With palliative care patient maintain a since of hope. Services are provided under medicare and private insurances.

Typically the following services are ordered a skilled Nurse, Physical Therapist and MSW. Nurses will see the patient in the home usually once per week for skin, nutrition and pain management, therapy helps with home exercise programs and safety. Medical Social worker is available to provide options and provide short and long term planning.®

When the patient is ready to transition into hospice care, then hospice will set up a meet and greet. At this time no decision is necessary, it is only an informational meeting and the patient still has the choice to decide if hospice will be needed.Ë

Palliative care is a very important service for the patient, it allows the patient and family to remain hopeful.§

For more information you may email me

carolync@losrobleshomecare.com

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I'm interested in how others manage their time in the work setting. Often times employees are texting, using the computer and find it difficult to maintain their productivity. It can be a challenge during work hours. Our society has been overwhelmed with high technology and everyone craves the hand held devices.

Here are a few tips to help your crave for cell phones, computer games and web surfing.

1. Turn your cell phone off and place in your work drawer or purse

2.Let your friends know what time you have lunch

3. Follow you company police on the use of computers during work hours

4. Stay focus and complete the work at hand

5. Make a list for yourself of the duties you are responsible for and check off as the job is completed

6. Remember you must make the best of your work day

From the corner of a little know tip

 

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Fall Prevention

How many people do you know that have fallen in their homes? Most elderly people fall in their home due to throw rugs, climbing up small step stools, lose of balance and even miss a step. Falls can cause injuries that require surgical intervention.

Tips on safe guarding your home

1.Remove throw rugs (walkers and canes get caught up in the rugs)

2. Provide adequate light (Suggest a night light for night time use)

3.Keep cords, toys and other objects away from pathways

4.Small pets can also contribute to falls make sure before walking your pet has moved to a place that leaves you clear pathways,

5.Clean up spills right away slips and falls can result from wet floors

6.Encourage a life line system such as ADT

Key:Fall proof your home to prevent injuries

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Alzheimer's Disease and Other Forms of Dementia

 

Dementia is the loss of mental functions -- such as thinking, memory, and reasoning -- that is severe enough to interfere with a person's daily functioning. Dementia is not a disease itself, but rather a group of symptoms that are caused by various diseases or conditions. Symptoms can also include changes in personality, mood, and behavior. In some cases, the dementia can be treated and cured because the cause is treatable. Examples of this include dementia caused by substance abuse (illicit drugs and alcohol), combinations of prescription medications, and hormone or vitamin imbalances. In some cases, although the person may appear to have dementia, a severe depression can be causing the symptoms. This is known as pseudo-dementia (false dementia) and is highly treatable. In most cases, however, a true dementia cannot be cured.

Dementia develops when the parts of the brain that are involved with learning, memory, decision-making, and language are affected by one or more of a variety of infections or diseases. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer'sdisease, but there are as many as 50 other known causes. Most of these causes are very rare.

Because some causes of dementia can be cured or partially treated, it is very important that your doctor is thorough when making the diagnosis, so as not to miss potentially treatable conditions. The frequency of "treatable" causes of dementia is believed to be about 20%.

What Causes Dementia?

There are several things that could cause dementia:

• Diseases that cause degeneration or loss of nerve cells in the brain such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's.
• Diseases that affect blood vessels, such as stroke, which can cause a disorder known as multi-infarct dementia.
• Toxic reactions, like excessive alcohol or drug use.
• Nutritional deficiencies, like vitamin B12 and folate deficiency.
• Infections that affect the brain and spinal cord, such as AIDS dementia complex and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
• Certain types of hydrocephalus, an accumulation of fluid in the brain that can result from developmental abnormalities, infections, injury, or brain tumors.
• Head injury -- either a single severe head injury or longer term smaller injuries, like in boxers.
• Illnesses other than in the brain, such as kidney, liver, and lung diseases, can all lead to dementia.

Alzheimer's disease causes 50% to 60% of all dementias. But researchers have found that two nervous diseases, which were originally incorrectly diagnosed as Alzheimer's, are emerging as major causes of dementia: Lewy body disease andPick's disease.

How Common Is Dementia?

Dementia caused by nervous system disease, especially Alzheimer's disease, is increasing in frequency more than most other types of dementia. Some researchers suspect that as many as half of all people over 80 years old develop Alzheimer's disease. Also, the increased incidence of AIDS dementia complex, which results from HIV infection, helps account for the increased dementia in recent history, although with the invention of newer and better drugs to treat HIV, the occurrence of AIDS-associated dementia is declining.

 

Alzheimer's Disease and Other Forms of Dementia

(continued)

Who Gets Dementia?

Dementia is considered a late-life disease because it tends to develop mostly in elderly people. About 5% to 8% of all people over the age of 65 have some form of dementia, and this number doubles every five years above that age. It is estimated that as many as half of people in their 80s suffer from dementia.

Which Dementias Are Treatable?

• Dementia due to long-term substance abuse.
• Tumors that can be removed.
• Subdural hematoma, accumulation of blood beneath the outer covering of the brain is the result of a broken blood vessel, usually the result of a head injury.
• Normal-pressure hydrocephalus.
• Metabolic disorders, such as a vitamin B12 deficiency.
• Hypothyroidism, a condition that results from an underactive thyroid.
• Hypoglycemia, a condition that results from low blood sugar.

 

What Are Some of the Untreatable Causes of Dementia?

• Alzheimer's disease.
• Multi-infarct dementia (Dementia due to multiple small strokes).
• Dementias associated with Parkinson's disease and similar disorders.
• AIDS dementia complex.
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a quickly progressing and fatal disease that consists of dementia and muscle twitching and spasm.

 

 

 American Association of Family Physicians.

 

Activities of daily living

To live independently, you must be able to handle certain essential functions, called activities of daily living (ADLs). These standard activities include eating, dressing, bathing, moving from a sitting to a standing position, taking medication, and using the bathroom.

If you are unable to perform two or more these ADLs, you generally qualify to begin receiving benefits from your long-term care insurance policy. Each insurer’s list of ADLs may vary slightly, but should always include bathing, as that is often the first activity that a person struggles with.

Cognitive impairments, such as those that result from Alzheimer’s disease, are not considered ADLs. A comprehensive long-term care policy will use a different test to determine when policyholders suffering from these impairments qualify to collect benefits.

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http://betterwebplace.com/nursingaffliate Home care is very unique in nature. Nurses, physical therapist, occupational therapy, social workers, speech therapist, LVN's and CHHA's play an important roll in its daily operations. One important component is training. Field staff must be equipped to meet the challenges of patient care in the home. Patients often lack understanding on the purpose of home care. It is the primary disciplines responsibility to explain the role of the home care nurse and or therapy services to the patient. On the initial start of care the nurse and or physical therapist will explain the consents,privacy laws, an estimated frequency of visits and provide the patient with a home care booklet. The home care booklet will provide the patient and family details on home care, after hour call process, patients rights, home-bound status, and agency expectation on patient availability while on services. A few pitfalls in home care 1: Lack of Orientation 2: Assigning new staff to complex cases 3. Lack of Follow up Orientation a key concept in home care. Agencies are responsible for on going training. Preparing the staff is important to the survival of an agency. Training reduces errors, and increases the field staffs confidence in their care provided. When referral sources trust the skills of your nursing and therapy services you will see an increase in referrals. Equipping the field staff benefits everyone. Agencies do themselves a disservice by assigning new staff to complex cases. For example, Mrs Smith is a 60 year old with HTN, A-Fib, CHF, PVD. She was hospitalized for pain in the right hip. xrays were taken, results fx of the right hip. The history and physical revealed that Mrs Smith fall and sustained a fracture. Surgery was recommended and she now is a status post right total hip replacement. Your home care agency is notified that Mrs Smith will go home with nursing and physical therapy services. She is also continue on coumadin 5mg po daily. The doctors order request an PT/INR to check her coumadin on the initial visit. Patient referral assigned to Nurse A and Therapist B. Nurse A is new to home care, 1 year experience in clinic setting and she is assigned to the case. Nurse A contacts the patient sets up an appointment makes the visit looks at the current medication and the patient has 2 boxes with previous medications prior to hospitalization. Patient is unable to find the discharge summary and the nurse tells Mrs Smith no need to take that box out just leave those medications for later. She begins her assessment without informing the patient of her rights and privacy laws, just sign her she said. The patient reported pain level of 10/10 with medication and Nurse A says you can call the doctor later. Incision had moderate to large amount of drainage, nurse A changed the dressing without gloves and informed the patient that it will stop by tomorrow. The patient lives alone and had no way to get up stairs to sleep. Nurse A, explained to the patient she could sleep in the lounge chair down stairs for the night. This patients discharge home lacked the following, no indications she was alone, increase risk for injuries due to fall, multiple medications, agency failed to obtain the medication reconciliation profile, and the nurse did not choose to contact the MD office to verify current medications. The nurse did not prob the patient for when she noticed the drainage, if there was an odor, or check the site for signs and symptoms of infection nor did the nurse decide to contact the MD with these significant changes. The nurse did not indicate what were the patients vital signs. Nurse A did not provide the patient with excellent care and risk the patient re hospitalization. Lack of Follow up. Follow up is also a key component to the success of an agency. All disciplines are responsible for follow up. When you receive report from another discipline that indicated clinical significant findings it is the responsibility of the Case Manager to follow up. This may include contacting the MD, requesting other disciplines, such as MSW, CHHA, and Occupational Therapist or making a home visit to evaluate the patient. On the initial assessment the assigned discipline must determine the needs of the patient and request the appropriate staff to meet those needs. An untrained staff member places the agency, nurse and patient at risk for incorrect implementation of care and increases potential injuries to the patient. Home care is a unique entity and you must be trained. Success of any kind is built on the foundation of knowledge.

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WHAT IS ABUSE AND NEGLECT?etterwebplace.com/n

The American Medical Association defines elder abuse and neglect as physical, psychological, or financial mistreatment of an elderly person.  It may or may not be intentional and an older adult will often suffer several forms of abuse and neglect at the same time.

Physical Abuse is an act that results in bodily harm, injury, impairment or disease. It usually takes the form of hitting, slapping, pushing, punching, pinching, burning or striking with objects.  It may also include sexual coercion or asault, incorrect positioning of the elder, forced feeding, and improper use of physical restraints.  Physical abuse is the most obvious form of abuse, because it often leaves behind telltale physical signs.  Some forms of physical abuse are hard to spot such as:

♦♦* Rushing and elder or pulling him or her too fast when helping them walk.u

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WHAT IS ABUSE AND NEGLECT?

The American MEdical Associate defines elder abuse and neglect as physical, psychological, or financial mistreatment of an elderly person. It may or may not be intentional and an older adult will ofjtCdAKFuten suffer serveral forms of abuse and neglect at the same time.

Physical Abuse is an act that results in bodily harm, injury, impairment or disease. It usually takes the form of hitting, slapping, pushing, punching, pinching, burning or striking with objects. It may also include sexual coercion or assult, incorrect positioning of the elder, forced feeding, and improper use of phyical restraints. Phyiscal abuse is the most obvious form of abuse, because it often leaves behind telltale physical signs.  Some forms of physical abuse are hard to spot such as:

♦Rusing and elder or pulling him or her too fast when helping them walk

♦Tying a wandering senior to a chair, so she or he won't get lost while you are busy

♦Roughly assisting a senior to a chair, so you can once again change wet sheets

♦Giving an lder too much or too little medication.

It is never acceptable to use chemical or physical restraint for

discipline or convenience

Show you care

Coastal Health + Triain  www.coastal.com

 

Coughs - Topic Overview

Site:WEBMD (Better information better health)

 

Organizing your work day

It seems that we are working harder and not smarter.  We have become overwhelmed with deadlines, activities and as a result the following findings are noted.

1. Increase fatique

2. Sleepless nights

3. Irritablitity'

We must organize our day,  incorporate moments of rest and relaxation. Working daily? then I must insist that you take your 15minutesbreak  and your lunch breaks. It is important to remove yourselves from the work environment long enough to recover both mentally and physically. You will find that these short breaks will increase your strength, reduce sleepless nights and reduce irritabilty.

Lets work together and strive to make the day with our alotted breaks.

http://successcities.comhttp://betterwebplace.com/nursingaffliate Florence Nightingale: Caring for the ill. Nursing care comes from the heart.

Patients want our medical teams to listen. What our  patients are saying is important. Patient have a right to participate in their care. Nursing, involves caring for one who has become ill, physically, mentally and spiritually. I believe that we are now focusing on statistics, data, outcome and occurences. One would hope that our patients are not viewed as numbers. Patients are people with real life challenges.

 The heart of the matter

 We are growing so fast in this technological age, it has becomes a hinderance in patient care. For example, productivity, and meeting deadlines often contribute to the quality of care delivered to patients. Caring comes from the heart and patients matter.

Nurses are affected in a multitude of ways, long hours, heavy patient loads and high expectations.This method of patient care breeds fatique, discouragement and the I quit attitude.

Who is responsible

Employers have a responsibility to their employees. This responsibility includes caring for their employees enough to ensure safe work environments, adequate training and scheduled off days, strategies to ensure vaction and sick time off. Decreasing stressful situations if the employee has adequate time on the books for vactions or family time. When nurses are scheduled off the employer should limited phone calls to that nurse. This will allow the nurse to rest and recover from the previous days worked.

 On the other hand the employee should be responsible for ensuring that the work is completed, clear and accurate. The employee is also responsible for timely documentation, and reporting off to  the on coming nurse. Follow up is the key to smooth transitions in patient care.

Conclusion

 Nurses are important for the care and management of patients, it is important to establish trust with them. Patients must be allowed to maintain involvement in their care. When discussing patient plans of care involve them. In order to meet the needs of the patient, nurses must intentionally listen and provide a caring word so that the patient will be willing to partake in the recommendations of the doctor.

Patients are important and it does become matters of the heart.

Carolyn Coleman-Grady, RN, PHN, BSN

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Foley Catheter are also know as indwelling foley catheters. Patients may come home with a indwelling

How To Care For Your Foley Catheter

What is it?

A Foley catheter is a thin rubber tube which is put into your bladder (organ that holds urine). It is used to drain urine out of your body. A Foley catheter is also called an "indwelling catheter". After the catheter is inserted, its tiny tip can be inflated (filled) with sterile (clean) water to make a small balloon. The balloon holds the Foley in place and keeps it from slipping out of your bladder. A Foley catheter can stay in the bladder for a short or long time.

How is a Foley catheter put into my bladder?

A caregiver will usually put the catheter in for you. You will lie down on a bed with your legs spread apart. Your caregiver will use special soap to clean the skin around your urinary meatus. The urinary meatus is the opening where your urine comes out. The caregiver will put the Foley into your urinary meatus and gently push it into your urethra. When the catheter reaches your bladder, the caregiver will inflate the catheter tip. Your catheter will be connected to a sterile (clean) bag, which will collect your urine. You may have a small leg bag or a larger bag that is attached to your bed or clothing.

Daily Care:

Follow these steps every day. These will help prevent a bladder or kidney infection and will keep you more comfortable.

• Always wash your hands before and after doing catheter care. Use soap and warm water.
  
  
• Keep your skin and catheter clean. Clean the skin around your catheter at least once each day. Clean your skin area and catheter after every bowel movement (BM).
  
  
• Always keep your urine bag below the level of your bladder. This is at about the level of your waist. Keeping the bag below this level will prevent urine from flowing back into your bladder from the tubing and urine bag. Backflow of urine can cause an infection.
  
  
• Wear cotton underwear. This will allow good air flow and drying in your genital area.
  
  
• Drink plenty of liquids. Drink at least 8 cups of healthy liquids each day. Follow your caregiver's advice if you must change the amount of liquid you drink. For most people, healthy liquids to drink are water, juices, and milk. Limit the amount of caffeine in your diet. Caffeine may make you urinate too much and lose too much body fluid. Caffeine may be found in coffee, tea, soda pop, and sports drinks and foods. Try to drink enough liquid each day, and not just when you feel thirsty.
  
  
• Do not tug or pull on the tubing. This can cause bleeding and hurt your urethra. Do not step on the tubing when walking. Hold the tubing curled in your hand with the urine bag below your bladder when walking. You may also want to clip or pin the tubing to your clothing.
  
  
• Place the catheter tubing so it does not kink or loop. When getting into bed, hang the urine bag beside the bed. Make sure the bag is below the level of your bladder. If you use movable bed rails, do not hand the urine bag on the bed rail. Hang the bag on the frame of the bed instead.

Checklist for cleaning your skin and catheter:

• __ 1. Gather your supplies.
  
  
  • Bowl or container to collect urine.
    
    
  • Bowl of warm water, soap, washcloth, and hand towel.
    
    
  • Waterproof pad or bath towel.
  
  
• __ 2. Wash your hands. Use warm water and soap before and after doing your catheter care.
  
  
• __ 3. Clean the skin around your catheter.
  
  
  • First, use a clean washcloth, warm water, and soap to gently wash the urinary meatus. Wash in a circle-like motion, moving away from the meatus. This helps prevent germs from being moved from the anus (rear end) into the urethra.
    
    
  • Hold the end of the catheter tube to keep it from being pulled while cleaning. Wash around the catheter to remove any blood, crust, or mucus.
    
    
  • Always wash the area around your anus last. Put the wash cloth into the laundry and do not use it again until it has been washed. Rinse and pat dry your genital area and catheter with a clean towel.
  
  
• __ 4. Secure the catheter and bag. Tape the catheter to your thigh (upper leg). This will prevent the catheter from tugging and possibly being pulled out. If you are in the hospital or are using an overnight bag, use a safety pin to fasten the catheter to the bed sheet or your gown. Make sure the safety pin goes around the catheter tube and not through it. The drainage bag may have hooks to fasten to your bed frame. Do not put the bag on the floor. Leave some slack in the tube so the catheter will not be pulled when you move your leg. If you use a leg bag, tape it to your skin. A leg strap can be used instead of tape. This may help prevent skin problems or sore areas.

Caring for your Foley or leg drainage bag:

• Catheters are made to be closed drainage systems. This means that the path from the tip of the catheter inserted into the bladder, to the bag which catches urine, is closed. A closed system decreases the chance of getting an infection. It also decreases the chance of the catheter breaking and urine spilling out. People with catheters and their caregivers should avoid detaching parts of the catheter along the closed system unless it is necessary.
  
  
• Larger, sterile, drainable, two liter drainage bags or smaller sterile leg bags are used to collect your urine. To keep a closed system, these bags are connected directly to the catheter. If you use a leg bag to collect urine, a larger drainage bag may be attached at night with a special connector. Some plastic drainage bags should be changed every 5 to 7 days. Ask your caregiver how often your drainage bag should be changed.
  
  
• Drainage bags must be kept below the level of the bladder. This will allow gravity to help drain the urine, and will stop urine from flowing back into your bladder. Urine that flows back into your bladder increases your risk of an infection. Do not let the drainage bag rest on or touch the floor. The tubing that goes from your urethra to a leg bag should be secured to your thigh with special tape, a leg strap, or a drain tube stabilizer. Allow extra tubing between the urethra and the point where the tubing is secured to your thigh.

Emptying your Foley or leg drainage bag:

A drainage bag should be emptied only when it is full enough that this is needed. Empty full-sized bags every eight hours, and smaller (leg) bags every 3 to 4 hours, or when they are full. The following are steps to be used when emptying your drainage bag:

• Place a large plastic or metal container on the floor next to you, or you may empty the urine into the toilet.
  
  
• Wash your hands with soap and water.
  
  
• Without touching its tip, remove the drain spout from its sleeve at the bottom of the urine bag. Open the slide valve on the spout.
  
  
• Let the urine flow out of the urine bag into the container or toilet. Do not let the drainage tube touch anything.
  
  
• When the bag is empty, clean the end of the drain spout with water and tissue. Close the slide valve and put the drain spout into its sleeve at the bottom of the urine bag.
  
  
• Wash your hands with soap and water.
  
  
• Write down how much urine was in your bag if caregivers have asked you to keep a record.

Cleaning your Foley or leg drainage bag:

• Get a new or cleaned urine bag with tubing.
  
  
• Wash your hands with soap and water.
  
  
• Put a clamp on your Foley catheter tubing near the connection to the urine bag tube. Unhook the old bag and hook the Foley catheter to the new bag. Un-clamp the Foley catheter tubing.
  
  
• Rinse the old bag with warm water.
  
  
• Fill the bag with two parts white vinegar to three parts tap water. Leave the water and vinegar mixture in the bag for at least 20 minutes. You may use chlorine bleach instead of the vinegar and water solution.
  
  
• Empty and rinse the bag. Hang it upside down and let it air dry.
  
  
• When the bag is dry, store it in a clean plastic bag until you are ready to use it again.

Reconnecting your Foley or leg drainage bag:

• Wash your hands with soap and water.
  
  
• Use alcohol or another solution suggested by your caregiver to clean the catheter and drainage bag ends. Attach them back together.
  
  
• Wash your hands with soap and water.

Fixing catheter problems:

• If your catheter is not draining:
  
  
  • Check for kinks. See if the urine tubing is twisted or bent.
    
    
  • See if you are lying on the catheter or tubing.
    
    
  • Make sure the urine bag is below the level of your bladder (waist level).
    
    
  • Change your position and separate your thighs (upper legs).
    
    
  • Irrigate (flush) the catheter if you have been taught how to irrigate catheters.
  
  
• If your catheter comes out or is leaking:
  
  
  • Place a towel or waterproof pad under you to protect your furniture if your catheter leaks or comes out. Do not try to put the catheter back in unless you have been taught how to insert a Foley catheter.
    
    
  • Look for these signs of leaking:
    
    
    • The level of urine in the bag has stopped rising, and no urine has drained from the catheter in 6 to 8 hours.
      
      
    • Your bed or clothes are wet with urine.

Call your caregiver if:

• You cannot get your catheter to drain urine into the bag.
  
  
• Your catheter comes out or it is leaking.
  
  
• Your urine is thick and cloudy. Your urine has mucus, red specks, or blood in it. Urine with blood in it may appear pink or red.
  
  
• Your urine has a strong (bad) smell.
  
  
• No urine has drained from your catheter in 6 to 8 hours.
  
  
• You have pain or burning in your urethra, bladder, abdomen, or lower back.
  
  
• You have shaking chills or your temperature is over 101° F (38.3° C).

Care Agreement

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about using a Foley catheter. You can then discuss choices with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what choices may be best for you. You always have the right to refuse and make your own decisions.

Copyright © 2011. Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Learn more about How To Care For Your Foley Catheter

I was taught in nursing school to sign my name as follows: M.Nurse, RN or A.Nurse, LVN (legibly). But I often see squiggly marks or first and last initials for signatures after charting. I was taught that anyone that reads your charting should be able to look at the signature and identify who did the charting. Often I cannot tell who signed the charting. Sometimes looking at the signature log helps, but not always. How do you sign after charting?

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The skills of an ET nurse/wound specialist are very important to a home health agency. Wound care nurses are a speciality service. It is important that the homecare case manager assess the need for an E.T nurse on the start of care. 

TIPS: When to make an E.T referral for your patients.

1. New and revised Ostomies/Ileostomy.

2. Wounds that have not progressed with the current treatment plan.

3. Stage 3 and 4 wounds.

TIP:  Remember assess and evaluate the need of the patient on the start of care and anticipate the patients need as services continues.

1. 1 items are tagged with nurse uniforms
2. 1 items are tagged with nursings scrubs
3. 1 items are tagged with professionalism in nursing
4. 1 items are tagged with tattoos in healthcare

What is you thaughts: Should There Be a Dress Code in Nursing?

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