How to Choose and Use a Foley Catheter Kit in Training

A Foley catheter is a urinary catheter with a flexible tube used to drain the urine from a person’s body when they are unable to do it naturally. Many people develop urination difficulties due to various types of conditions, such as incontinence, nerve damage, and prostate problems. 

The primary difference between a Foley catheter and a regular straight catheter is that the former is designed for long-term use, while the latter is intended for short-term use. That is why a Foley catheter is referred to as an indwelling catheter, as it is permanently installed to assist the patient in urination. 

Some patients are fortunate to cure the underlying condition causing their urination retention issue, but others may need to use Foley catheters indefinitely. Nurses and doctors must understand how to install and use a Foley catheter because many of their patients will require them. 

How to Select the Best Foley Catheter Kit

It is not enough to simply offer a Foley catheter device to your students, as they also require additional accessories and tools to use it properly. A standardized Foley catheter kit provides all the essential items necessary to train your students on how to use a Foley catheter. However, not all Foley catheter kits are the same. You need to choose the best ones to ensure your students receive the most effective and authentic learning experience possible. 

Please make the following considerations to help select the best Foley catheter kits for your students:

1) Check the Contents of the Kit

What is included in your Foley catheter kit? That is the first question you should answer before purchasing one. Here are the standard accessories found in a common Foley catheter kit:

• Foley catheter

• Lubricant jelly

• Sterile gloves

• Urine drainage bag

• Antiseptic solution

• Syringe

• Sterile water

All your students should understand what these accessories are and how they assist in using a Foley catheter with a patient. You may already have some of these accessories separately, which means you don’t necessarily need all of the accessories in your Foley catheter kit. Just access your school’s current supply inventory to make this determination. 

2) Choose Between a Two-Way or Three-Way Catheter

Do you need a two-way or three-way Foley catheter in your training kit for your students? A two-way catheter features two channels: one to drain urine and the other to inflate and deflate the balloon that secures the catheter inside the bladder. A three-way catheter features the same two channels as mentioned, but it also contains a third channel that irrigates the bladder. 

A two-way catheter is suitable for most nursing and medical students learning to treat patients with prolonged urinary retention. However, if you want to train students in treating patients who have undergone post-urological surgery, you may find it better to use a three-way catheter. The reason is that continuous irritation is often necessary after urological surgeries. 

3) Find the Right Size Catheter

The size of any urinary catheter device is measured in French (Fr) units. One French unit is equivalent to 0.33 millimeters in diameter, which means that three French units are approximately equal to one millimeter. The standard Foley catheter size for adult men is 14 to 16 French units, and for adult women is 12 to 14 French units. For this reason, any Foley catheter measuring around 14 French units in size is suitable for training most students. 

You may only go higher to the 18 to 24-French unit range if you’re teaching students to treat patients with clots. Alternatively, you may opt for a lower range, such as 8 to 10 French units, if training to treat pediatric patients or those with narrow urethras. 

4) Check the Balloon Size

The balloon part of the Foley catheter is the inflatable pouch filled with sterile water. The standard balloon sizes range between 5 and 30 milliliters (mL). For training purposes, a catheter balloon size of between 5 and 10 mL is sufficient. Your students won’t be training on actual people, so the size of the balloon won’t matter as much. The only exception is if you’re teaching students to perform specific procedures, such as hemostasis or post-surgical applications. 

5) Choose the Catheter Material

What is the best catheter material for your students? The most popular choice is a silicone-coated Foley catheter because it is hypoallergenic and unlikely to cause allergic reactions or heightened sensitivities in students or patients. Silicone Foley catheters are also more durable and sustainable for long-term usage. So, look for Foley catheter kits with catheters made of silicone or coated in silicone. 

How to Use a Foley Catheter Kit

Virtually all healthcare professionals will need to learn how to use a Foley catheter kit at some point in their training. Once you have chosen the proper Foley catheter kit for your students, the next step is to learn how to use the kit in training. ó

Here are some general steps in using a Foley Catheter kit when simulating medical procedures for training purposes:

1) Study the Contents of the Kit

The first step should be self-explanatory. It is the step where students must familiarize themselves with the contents of the Foley catheter kit. Let them study all the accessories and components of their kit. 

Ask each student to describe what each accessory does and how it contributes to the Foley catheter application process. If you are certain they can identify all the items in the kit, you can proceed to the next step. 

2) Prepare the Training Area

The Foley catheter training area needs to be a clean, sterile environment for students. Everything from the equipment to the drapes and gloves needs to be sterilized. This equipment will include the Foley catheter kit and any additional items not included in it, such as a manikin for practice.

You shouldn’t start training your students with human patients because of the increased risk involved. The safest way to train your students in male and female urethral catheterization is to supply a dual sex manikin with simulated parts and internal structures. Your students can practice inserting the Foley catheter on the manikin, making it a completely safe and risk-free experience. 

3) Clean the Genital Area

Use the antiseptic solution to clean the urethral area. If it is a female patient, separate the labia and swipe from front to back to clean everything between the clitoris to the anus. If it is a male patient, retract the foreskin if he is uncircumcised and use circular motions to clean the urethral meatus in an outward direction. 

4) Lubricate the Catheter

Apply a vast amount of lubricant jelly (or any other sterile lubricant solution) on the end of the Foley catheter. Cover about 15 to 20 centimeters of it with lubricant if you’re treating a male patient, or between 5 and 7 centimeters if it is a female patient.

5) Catheter Insertion

Next, the Foley catheter is inserted into the patient. This is the most critical step, so ensure your students do it right when training with the manikin. The students must gently insert the lubricated catheter into the urethra until urine begins to flow out of it. Continue inserting the catheter a little further, about 2.5 to 5 centimeters more, to ensure it is completely inside the bladder.

6) Inflate the Balloon

Use a syringe filled with sterile water to inflate the balloon. The Foley catheter kit should come with a pre-filled syringe. Otherwise, the kit will include a separate syringe and sterile water solution. If they are separate items, your students will need to fill the syringe with sterile water first. Then, they can use it to inflate the balloon with water. Make sure to tell them never to fill the balloon with air. 

7) Secure the Catheter and Drainage Bag

Slightly pull back on the catheter until there is resistance. That will signify the balloon is properly seated and secured. Now, the student needs to secure the catheter to the patient’s abdomen or thigh by using a piece of medical tape (which may not be included in the kit). Connect the drainage bag to the catheter by positioning it underneath the bladder.

8) Monitor the Progress and Success

Monitor each student’s progress and success by observing the post-insertion care. Observe how your students manage unexpected complications during this time, such as bleeding, pain, and urinary retention. Train them on how to handle these sudden complications if they are unfamiliar with the process. The more they practice this with the manikin, the more they will be ready to test their skills on human patients.

Conclusion

Do you need high-quality Foley catheter kits to train your students? Pristine Medical is one of the most renowned providers of nursing and medical supplies for schools worldwide. It has everything from standardized to closed-circuit Foley catheter kits. You are bound to find the best Foley catheter kits to accommodate the lesson plans at your school.