Complex Clinical Reflection Week 4

This week I was able to observe a fellow nursing student attempt to perform a straight

catheterization. She had never been able to perform a straight catheterization at any of her

clinical rotations before, while I have, but I still wanted to observe to refresh my memory. We

learned during the shift change report that the patient had not voided in two days and previous

bladders scans showed anywhere from 58 ml to 458 ml of urine in the bladder. The patient did

not have any urges to void so her doctor ordered a straight catheterization. Unfortunately, when

attempting to insert the straight catheter, the nursing student was not able to insert the catheter

even with the assistance of our professor. We later learned that it took 5 nurses to straight

catheterize this patient the last time a straight catheterization was ordered. During rounds, the

doctor decided to have the patient sit on a bedside commode instead of attempting another

straight catheter. The patient was able to void over 500 ml of urine so we were all very excited

for her.

My patient this week was on the floor following a left ureter stent placement. She has a

history of kidney stones and they found a 7 mm stone in her left ureter the day before. Her

urinalysis also came back positive for a UTI. She would have been discharged today but her

doctor wanted several rounds of antibiotics given to her before she left the hospital. Her IV pump

stopped several times during my time on the floor and she said this was a common problem for

her. The nurse said that this patient’s IV’s have always been difficult to continuously run her

fluids and antibiotic piggybacks. My patient was very friendly and peacefully rested during my

time on the floor. I was able to learn about how her dog had escaped and come back during her

time in the hospital, and her traveling plans for the next several weeks. She also asked me about
my future plans as a nurse and really recommended that I work at my current clinical rotation

site once I get my BSN.