Female Catheterisation - Child Nursing

Some children are unable to empty their bladder properly. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including problems that they were born with, surgery or voiding problems. If the bladder does not empty fully or the child is unable to void (retention) then there is a risk of infection and urine can track back up to the kidneys causing damage. To help the child empty their bladder more effectively and reduce the risks, a bladder drainage device may be put in to drain the bladder such as, a catheter.

Prior to reading about female catheterisation, you may wish to find out more about Aseptic None-Touch Technique (if you haven't already), as this is an important part of the procedure. Click here to go to the Aseptic None-Touch Technique page.

Read the illustrated guide to catheterisation on ClinicalSkills.net here: 

You will need to be logged into ClinicalSkills.net to use these pages: Go to ClinicalSkills.net, click login at the top, enter your user name and password. You must have set up your account to do this. For further information on how to login to your ClinicalSkills.net account please click here: How to Login to ClinicalSkills.net

Female indwelling urethral catheterisation  (please note that this is the adult guide to female catheterisation, but many of the procedural aspects apply to paediatrics too)

To read the guide to paediatric female catheterisation from Sheffield Children's Hospital (used with permission from the Specialist Urology Nurse Practitioner) click on the following links:

Paediatric female catheterisation (Sheffield Children's Hospital) 

Sheffield Children's Hospital Catheterisation workbook 

Child Intermittent Catheterisation Powerpoint

This is an example of a guide which might be used to choose an appropriate sized catheter for children:

In paediatric patients you will find that Instillagel is not always used and instead a different lubrication may be used for catheter insertion. Different catheter designed for children will require a different amount of sterile water to inflate the balloon or may not have a balloon at all. Once inserted catheters are always secured to the patient with hypoallergenic tape to either their thigh or abdomen - this is to prevent the catheter being intentionally or accidentally removed by the child. 

Click on the button below to navigate to the 'Take a Test' area of ClinicalSkills.net. Please make sure you're logged into ClinicalSkills.net already, otherwise you may not be able to open and take the test. Once you have reached the 'Take a Test' area, select 'Local Tests' and then click on the test called 'Female Catheterisation - Child' and SCH/SHU Intermittent Catheterisation' to begin. You will need to score 80% or more to pass. Make sure you've read the ClinicalSkills.net procedure thoroughly before taking the test as many of the answers will be found within there!

Female intermittent catheterisation - Step by step guide for children:

www.coloplast.co.uk/Bladder-and-Bowel/how-to-guides/catheter-guides-for-children/#section=Girls_240061 

Date reviewed: 

Next review: August 2023