Preventing Urinary Catheter Infections
When a patient cannot get up from his or her hospital bed to use the restroom, or certain fluids need to be drained from the patient’s body, a urinary catheter may be inserted by a physician or nurse. These catheters are short plastic tubes that collect urine and other fluids in a bag to be emptied upon becoming full. Though these medical devices are meant to be useful for convenience and monitoring, they can become harmful and cause infections if they are not cared for in the proper way.
Doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners have a professional responsibility to provide a reasonable duty of care to all patients. If this is not done, you may be able to bring these negligent individuals to court on the grounds of medical malpractice. To learn more, contact the Atlanta medical malpractice attorneys of Webb, Wade & Taylor, LLC at 770-631-1811 today.
Hygienic Practices
The following practices should be employed for optimal catheter care:
- Adequately cleanse the urethral area and the catheter itself.
- Disconnect the drainage bag with clean hands only (and do so as seldom as possible).
- Use a thin catheter to limit risk of injury to the urethra during insertion.
- Have the patient drink enough liquid to produce 2 liters of urine per day.
- Have the patient avoid sexual activity.
If a doctor does not perform the above sterilization techniques or does not give the patient accurate information, they may be held liable if an infection or subsequent injury occurs. However, because each case has its own individual circumstances, it is best to have an Atlanta hospital negligence lawyer look over your case to determine its viability in court.
Contact Us
To learn more about urinary catheter infections and medical malpractice in general, call the Atlanta personal injury lawyers of Webb, Wade & Taylor, LLC at 770-631-1811 today.
