The surgeon orders hourly urine output measurement for a patient after abdominal surgery.The patient's urine output has been greater than 60 mL/hour for the past 2 hours.Suddenly,the patient's urine output drops to almost nothing.What should the nurse do first?
A) Irrigate the catheter with 30 mL of sterile solution.
B) Replace the patient's indwelling urinary catheter.
C) Infuse 500 mL of normal saline solution IV over 1 hour.
D) Notify the surgeon immediately.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If the patient's urinary output suddenly ceases,the nurse should irrigate the urinary catheter to assess whether the catheter is blocked.If no blockage is detected,the nurse should notify the surgeon.The surgeon may request that the catheter be changed if irrigation does not help or if the tubing is not kinked.However,the nurse should not change a catheter in the immediate postoperative period without consulting with the surgeon.The surgeon may prescribe an IV fluid bolus if the patient is suspected to have a deficient fluid volume.

The Surgeon Orders Hourly Urine Output Measurement for a Patient