Alternative approaches to managing a non-draining urinary catheter

Best practice in the management of indwelling catheters has been debated for many years. Proactive preventative strategies are widely considered favourable, but inevitably patients are referred with sudden, acute or unexpected non-draining catheters requiring a reactive or problem-solving response. This article considers the lack of comprehensive evidence on which nurses can base their practice when problems arise. It proposes that a clinical framework is necessary to guide nurses logically and rationally through the decision-making process. In addition, the case for diagnostic irrigation is assessed and the issue of catheter resiting as an alternative to recatheterization is highlighted.