| Sumario: | Catheterization is a medical decision and requires a team approach involving, where possible, the patient and carer, as well as those professionals administering care. Catheterization and subsequent effective catheter drainage is associated with many dangers and complications (Lowthian, 1998) and therefore the decision to catheterize someone should not be taken lightly. Catheterization should only be used in intractable incontinence when all other measures have been tried and proven to be ineffective. This article identifies some of the problems associated with the care of patients with indwelling catheters in the community setting, and examines the issues that can cause pain, distress and discomfort to patients. It looks at the various types of solutions to problems associated with catheterization. Case histories are used to illustrate the types of patients who may have been catheterized. It is hoped that nurses can learn from these examples, so that they will not only cope more effectively with these individuals, but also observe their own practice when initiating indwelling catheterization and developing care packages.
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