Foley catheter is used in which of the following condition?

Appeared in: HPSSSB Staff Nurse - 2016

Explanation

A Foley (indwelling) catheter is primarily used for continuous bladder drainage.
The most common and appropriate indication for a Foley catheter among the choices is urinary retention, which is the inability to empty the bladder.
Using a catheter relieves the bladder distention, prevents discomfort, and avoids potential kidney damage from the back-pressure of a full bladder.

Option A: Enuresis (bedwetting) is a type of incontinence, typically managed with behavioral therapy or alarms, not an invasive indwelling catheter.
Option C: Anuria is the absence of urine production by the kidneys. A catheter drains urine from the bladder; if no urine is being produced, a catheter is ineffective and irrelevant.
Option D: While a catheter would manage leakage, it is not the first-line treatment for incontinence due to the high risk of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Indications for Foley Catheterization as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
The nurse's primary responsibility during catheterization is to prevent Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs), a common and serious healthcare-associated infection.
Nurses must adhere to strict sterile technique during insertion and maintain a closed drainage system to minimize infection risk.
What if? If a patient with urinary retention also has a known urethral stricture or enlarged prostate? The nurse should anticipate potential difficulty with insertion and have a Coudé-tip catheter available, if ordered, as its curved tip can help navigate obstructions.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core subject of the question: 'Foley catheter'.
Recall the primary function of a Foley catheter, which is to provide continuous drainage of the urinary bladder.
Analyze each option to see which condition necessitates continuous bladder drainage.
Evaluate 'Urine retention': This is a direct match, as the bladder is full but cannot be emptied.
Evaluate 'Enuresis' and 'Incontinence': These involve involuntary loss of urine, not an inability to urinate. Catheterization is generally avoided.
Evaluate 'Anuria': This means no urine is being produced, so there is nothing in the bladder to drain. This makes catheterization pointless.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor pp. 598-600, 597-599

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 5 p. 252-254

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