Final answer:
The nurse can assist a patient with urinary retention by accompanying them to the toilet, offering a warm bath, instructing in the double void technique, and running water to stimulate the act of urination. It's important to avoid offering diuretics like caffeine to a patient with retention issues as they can aggravate the condition.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a patient complains of urinary retention, the nurse can help the patient to void by engaging in several supportive activities. The following strategies can assist:
- Accompanying the patient to the toilet might provide the confidence or security they need to relax the urethral sphincters.
- Providing a warm bath can help to relax the pelvic muscles and urethral sphincter, facilitating urination.
- Instructing in the double void technique, which involves voiding, waiting a few minutes, and then trying again to help empty the bladder more thoroughly.
- Running water in the lavatory might also stimulate the sound-associated reflex to stimulate urination.
Offering caffeine or carbonated drinks might be misleading as they are diuretics. Diuretics such as caffeine increase urine volume by promoting vasodilation in the nephron, which increases the Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR). This could aggravate urinary retention by increasing urine production without resolving the inability to void. It's essential to differentiate between promoting urination in someone who can void but may need prompting, versus someone who is unable to void due to an obstruction or other medical condition where diuretics could exacerbate the issue.