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Straight Catheterization with Sterile Specimen Collection

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Straight Catheterization with Sterile Specimen Collection

Key Points

  • Use strict sterile technique with clear dominant/non-dominant hand role separation.
  • Female and male meatal cleansing sequences differ and must be followed precisely.
  • After urine return, advance slightly further, then collect sterile specimen before full drainage completion.
  • Label and transport specimens immediately using biohazard workflow.

Equipment

  • Straight catheter kit and sterile lubricant
  • Nonsterile gloves plus sterile gloves
  • Antiseptic swabs/cotton and forceps from kit
  • Sterile specimen container and two patient labels
  • Biohazard transport bag
  • Perineal-care supplies and urine receptacle/graduate

Procedure Steps

  1. Verify order/identity and assess allergies, positioning limits, and prior catheterization difficulty.
  2. Perform perineal cleansing with clean gloves, then remove gloves and reperform hand hygiene.
  3. Open kit and establish sterile field/drape without contaminating center.
  4. If specimen is ordered, open sterile container/lid onto sterile field before insertion.
  5. Keep nondominant hand in contact-position once landmarks are exposed (hand becomes nonsterile):
    • female: spread labia minora and visualize meatus
    • male: hold penis and retract foreskin if present
  6. Cleanse meatus with dominant sterile hand:
    • female: far labia, near labia, then center/meatus (new swab each pass)
    • male: circular meatus-to-base cleansing on glans (new swab each pass)
  7. Insert lubricated catheter while maintaining sterility until urine return.
  8. Advance catheter an additional 1-2 inches, then hold position.
  9. For sterile specimen collection:
    • momentarily pinch catheter flow
    • position sterile container under catheter stream
    • release pinch and collect sample without contaminating container
    • cap sterile container and keep off nonsterile surfaces
  10. Allow remaining urine to drain to completion, then remove catheter during patient exhalation.
  11. Provide perineal care and, for uncircumcised males, return foreskin to natural position.
  12. Clean container exterior, apply labels (container + outside of biohazard bag), bag specimen, and send to lab promptly.
  13. Measure/dispose remaining urine per policy and document procedure/findings.

Nonsterile-Hand Rule

Once the nondominant hand touches genital tissue, it is nonsterile and must not return to sterile supplies.

Documentation Requirements

  • Indication, patient tolerance, and sex-specific technique used.
  • Urine characteristics and amount drained.
  • Specimen collection details (time/date/initials, label verification, transport handoff).
  • Any insertion difficulty, resistance, discomfort, or contamination events with follow-up actions.

Graph View

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