. I've been using a foley catheter for almost two years and never once have I had a UTI. I'll tell you why.
Before starting on this so I could get through the day and get a good nights sleep I did a lot of research on this. For four months I found all kinds of websites and read about most everything about them. I watched all kinds of videos (both the informative and the adult) and could very easily see why people get them.
Focus on the hands, genitals, and equipment:
Point 1: Many people in general are dirty slobs and don't keep themselves clean. Their hands are dirty and under their finger nails is crusted with crud. Your hands are what's used to insert the catheter so without being clean-sterile you're just asking for trouble.
Point 2: They don't wash the genital area with antibacterial soap, and won't trim or shave off the unnecessary hair in the area. In general people have no idea how dirty and bacteria ridden this part of your body is so they don't put time into it. Every notice how they shave your chest before open heart surgery for example? Gee, get rid of the hair and get rid of where the dirt and bacteria are? Duh!
Point 3: When opening up the supplies they seem not to understand or know that NONE of this packaging is clean and sterile. Only what's INSIDE the packaging is clean and sterile. When you open the tray, any packaging inside it is NOT clean and sterile. The catheter comes in a sealed bag but the OUTSIDE of the bag is not clean. ONLY the catheter inside is sterile. The outside of the swab package is dirty but THE SWABS THEMSELVES are clean. (Get what I'm saying?)
So, he or she washes their hands, puts on CLEAN gloves. OK. Then they start opening the packing and from this point on they're using dirty bacteria ridden gloves! You know this package just came from the store room, delivered in a truck off the boat from the factory in some g-d forsaken country right? You're being prepared to have all kinds of dirt and bacteria shoved in your urinary tract and you may not know it because, (now get this) you saw them wash their hand and put on gloves. The person performing the procedure claims to have done this "hundreds of times" and hundreds of times they've CAUSED the UTI and don't even know it. Just the procedure they use alone is the reason why you're 80% plus more likely to get a UTI in a hospital or medical setting.
Wanna prevent UTI's? Try this: Once everything is prepared don't open the catheter all the way. Connect the outer end of the catheter to the collection bag and peel open the other end WITHOUT TOUCHING IT OR TOUCHING IT TO ANYTHING. (Now here's the prevention part.) Set it down CLEANLY and go change your gloves. DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING BUT THE CATHETER WITH THESE CLEAN GLOVES. Use the clean gloved hand or the CLEAN plastic tweezers to GENTLY guide the catheter into the urethra. If you see the medical person touching the catheter with dirty gloves you should stop them immediately. Have them get a clean catheter and put on clean gloves just before they insert it. You have the right to say STOP. If you're going to have surgery and they want to insert one "in theater", tell them you want it done before they bring you down so you can observe.
VOILA ! ! ! Only a clean glove or tweezers that touch the actual catheter as it's being inserted will prevent UTI's in hospitals and medical setting throughout the world.
I use a new cath every week and keep things clean so bad things don't happen. You can to. .
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