Question

The nurse provides care for a client after an abdominal hysterectomy. The client asks when the indwelling catheter will be removed. Which statement by the nurse is most appropriate?

a) The catheter will be removed as soon as you can walk to the bathroom.
b) It will be taken out once you can empty your bladder on your own.
c) The catheter will stay in place until your first postoperative checkup.
d) We typically remove it 24 hours after the surgery.

Answer 1

The nurse should inform the client that the indwelling catheter will be removed once the client is able to empty their bladder on their own, indicating that the recovery progress and return of bladder function are the determining factors for catheter removal, not a predetermined time frame or the patient's ability to walk to the bathroom. The correct option is a.

Step-by-step explanation:

The appropriate response to when an indwelling catheter will be removed after an abdominal hysterectomy is that catheter removal typically occurs when the patient regains the ability to urinate on their own. In this context, the most appropriate answer would be (b) 'It will be taken out once you can empty your bladder on your own.' This indicates that the patient's recovery process and the return of normal bladder function dictate the timing of catheter removal, not a fixed time frame or the ability to walk to the bathroom.

Hospital protocols regarding postoperative care may vary, but catheter removal is generally based on individual patient recovery, which includes factors such as return of normal bladder function and mobility levels. The nurse should assess these factors along with any specific instructions from the surgeon or hospital's postoperative care guidelines. For instance, if a patient regains the ability to urinate and can manage bathroom trips without significant pain or difficulty, the medical team may decide to remove the catheter even if it's before the 24-hour mark post-surgery.