Urinary Elimination Chapter 16

Urinary Elimination Key Concepts

• Urine consists of water and waste products that the body needs to eliminate.
• Adults typically produce approximately 1200 to 1500 mL of urine daily.
• Normal urine appearance is pale yellow, indicating proper hydration and health.

Terms Related to Urination

• Voiding is another term for urinating.
• Signs that require reporting to a nurse include:
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Blood in urine
  • Painful urination
  • Glucose in urine
  • Cloudy urine
  • Fruity-smelling urine
  • Dark or rust-colored urine
  • Strong-smelling urine

Equipment for Urinary Elimination

• A fracture pan is designed for residents who cannot get out of bed for voiding.
• Men may use a urinal when they are unable to get out of bed.
• A portable commode is used by residents who can get out of bed but cannot walk to the bathroom, also known as a bedside commode.

Hygiene and Safety Measures

• Nursing assistants should always wear gloves when handling body wastes to maintain hygiene and safety.

Types of Catheters

• Catheters are thin tubes used to drain or inject fluids into the body:
  • A condom catheter is designed to attach to the penis for drainage.
  • An indwelling catheter remains in the bladder for a designated duration.
  • A straight catheter is removed immediately after urine drainage.

Catheter Care Guidelines

• Important guidelines for working with residents who have catheters include:
  • Keeping the drainage bag off the floor.
  • Maintaining straight tubing to prevent kinking.
  • Ensuring the genital area remains clean.

Monitoring Catheter Usage

• Key aspects to report to a nurse about a resident's catheter condition:
  • Unusual blood in the urine.
  • Drainage bag not filling after several hours.
  • Sudden filling of the bag.
  • Catheter misplacement.
  • Leakage from the catheter site.
  • Reports of pain or pressure from the resident.

Urinary Specimen Types

• A 24-hour urine specimen collects all urine voided in a day to analyze total output.
• A clean catch specimen excludes the first and last urine in the sample for accuracy.
• A hat is a collection container placed in the toilet to gather urine samples.
• A routine urine specimen can be collected any time the resident voids.

Diagnostic Specimen Insights

• Specimens are samples used for diagnostic analysis to assist in identifying health conditions.
• A reagent strip is used to test pH levels in urine.
• The presence of glucose or ketones in urine may indicate diabetes.
• Occult blood in urine refers to hidden blood not visible to the naked eye.
• A specific gravity test compares urine density to water, signaling hydration status.
• A double-voided urine specimen may be employed to test for glucose presence.