Risks
Diabetes, foley catheters, hormones, scented tampons, and hormone changes
Urinary Tract Infection
Symptoms
Cloudy urine, foul urine smell, hematuria, dysuria, nocturia, WBC in urine, nausea, vomiting, malaise, confusion in the elderly.
Women and E. Coli
UTIs are more common in women. E. coli is the most common organisms
Treatment
Phenazopyridine for bladder spasms (makes urine orange), lots of fluids, and antibiotics. Send urine culture prior to starting antibiotics.
- To prevent UTIs, the urine needs to be ACIDIC.
- How? By eating foods that make urine acidic.
- What makes urine acidic: Cranberry juice, apple juice, prunes, and plums.
- Avoid cantaloupe, raisins, dates, figs, dried fruits, in addition to citrus fruits. These foods make urine alkaline and you want urine to be acidic to prevent UTIs.
- Indication for foley catheters: urinary retention, need for accurate I & O, and checking for urine residual.
- Urinary incontinence is NOT an indication for a foley catheter.
- Tape female catheter to upper thigh, keep closed system, keep below the bladder, clean meatus with soap and water, and empty bag every 8 hours.