Arkansas Long Term Care Administrator Practice Exam

What guideline must be followed regarding catheter patient monitoring?

1. Record input and output daily only

2. Monitor only when infection is suspected

3. Record urine output once per shift

4. Monitor at least every two hours

The correct answer is: Record urine output once per shift

Monitoring catheter patients is essential for ensuring their health and preventing complications. Recording urine output once per shift helps healthcare providers assess kidney function, fluid balance, and the effectiveness of treatments. This approach allows for the identification of potential problems early, such as dehydration, fluid overload, or urinary tract infections, and facilitates timely intervention. Other options suggest less frequent monitoring or limited criteria for when monitoring should take place. For example, only recording input and output daily would miss critical changes in a patient's condition, and monitoring only when infection is suspected does not provide a comprehensive view of the patient's status. Monitoring every two hours, while thorough, may not be necessary for all patients and could lead to increased workload without significantly improving patient outcomes. Hence, recording urine output once per shift strikes a balance between diligence and practicality in patient care for catheterized individuals.