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Indwelling Urinary Catheter Removal

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Indwelling Urinary Catheter Removal

Key Points

  • Verify order and capture final pre-removal urine output for I&O before discontinuing the Foley.
  • Remove all balloon fluid before traction and stop if resistance is encountered.
  • Confirm catheter is intact after removal and perform perineal hygiene.
  • Document removal details and monitor first-void recovery per policy.

Equipment

  • Gloves
  • 10 mL syringe for balloon deflation
  • Graduated urine container for output measurement
  • Perineal-care supplies
  • Protective pad/chux
  • Waste receptacle

Procedure Steps

  1. Verify removal order, identify patient with two identifiers, and explain process.
  2. Perform hand hygiene and apply gloves.
  3. Measure and document current urine output before removal:
    • drain tubing urine into Foley bag
    • empty Foley bag into graduated container
    • record output in I&O workflow
  4. Reperform hand hygiene and apply clean gloves for removal sequence.
  5. Expose only genital area/catheter, place protective pad, and remove securement device.
  6. Attach syringe to balloon port and withdraw all balloon fluid; detach syringe while maintaining plunger position.
  7. Ask patient to exhale and gently remove catheter during exhalation.
  8. If resistance is met, stop and reassess balloon deflation; escalate per policy.
  9. Inspect catheter tip/balloon to verify intact removal and discard per facility procedure.
  10. Perform or assist perineal cleansing and restore patient comfort/privacy.
  11. Complete safety checks, remove gloves, perform hand hygiene, and document procedure and concerns.

Do Not Force

Traction against a partially deflated balloon can cause urethral trauma.

Documentation Requirements

  • Removal date/time and order verification.
  • Final pre-removal urine amount captured for I&O.
  • Balloon-deflation confirmation and tolerance during removal.
  • Catheter integrity after removal.
  • Patient response and teaching on expected first-void follow-up/reporting cues.
  • Escalations performed for resistance, pain, bleeding, or inability to remove.

Graph View

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