Question

What is the first step to take for urinary retention? What other diagnostic method may be helpful but is not a priority?

1) Insert a urinary catheter
2) Order a urine culture
3) Perform a bladder ultrasound
4) Administer pain medication

Answer 1

To address urinary retention, the primary step is to insert a urinary catheter. Follow-up measures such as a urine culture, bladder ultrasound, and pain medication are important but secondary to catheterization.

Step-by-step explanation:

The first step to take for urinary retention is to insert a urinary catheter. This immediate action helps alleviate the retention and prevent further complications. While important for identifying the cause of urinary retention, a urine culture to check for the presence of a urinary tract infection is not prioritized over the physical relief of retention. A bladder ultrasound can also be helpful as it provides a non-invasive means of examining the bladder and surrounding structures, but it is typically used after addressing the immediate need to relieve retention. Finally, administering pain medication may help with symptomatic relief but does not address the underlying issue of urinary retention.