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Catheter care is a dignity conversation
A catheter is embarrassing to talk about. Plain words, announced steps, and exact reporting are what make it bearable.
The Spanish on this page comes from the Signos phrase library, which has not been checked by a qualified reviewer yet. Vocabulary practice does not qualify you to interpret. When a conversation affects care, use a qualified medical interpreter.
A catheter is the topic patients least want to discuss and most need explained. The words matter more here than anywhere, because embarrassment makes patients go quiet, and a quiet patient stops reporting.
The phrases below come from the Catheter Care track. Each one includes the sample patient reply from the track, because the reply shows what a patient will actually say when the topic is embarrassing.
Announce before you touch
Say what you are about to do before you do it: placing the catheter, emptying the bag, cleaning around it, removing it. An announced step is a smaller embarrassment, and a patient who knows what is coming stays in the conversation.
«Voy a ponerle una sonda para ayudarle a orinar.»
I am going to place a catheter to help you urinate.
Patient reply: «¿Va a doler?» Is it going to hurt?
Note: Report the patient's answers to the nurse. Do not interpret medical information or explain risks; a qualified interpreter carries consent conversations.
Drill Catheter Care →«Respire despacio. Voy a colocar la sonda ahora.»
Breathe slowly. I am going to place the catheter now.
Patient reply: «Está bien.» Okay.
Note: Report the patient's answers to the nurse. Do not promise how it will feel.
Drill Catheter Care →«Voy a vaciar la bolsa ahora.»
I am going to empty the bag now.
Patient reply: «Está bien.» Okay.
Note: Report the patient's answers to the nurse. Do not interpret medical information.
Drill Catheter Care →«Vamos a limpiarle alrededor de la sonda.»
We are going to clean around the catheter.
Patient reply: «Está bien.» Okay.
Note: Report the patient's answers to the nurse. Do not interpret medical information.
Drill Catheter Care →«Voy a quitarle la sonda ahora.»
I am going to remove the catheter now.
Patient reply: «Está bien.» Okay.
Note: Report the patient's answers to the nurse. Do not interpret medical information.
Drill Catheter Care →The discomfort questions
Burning, urge, bother: these are the three discomfort questions, and each one is worth asking plainly. A patient who can name the discomfort can report it, and a reported discomfort is information the nurse can use.
«¿Siente ardor al orinar?»
Do you feel burning when you urinate?
Patient reply: «Sí, arde mucho.» Yes, it burns a lot.
Note: Report the patient's answer and any new or worsening symptom to the nurse. Do not infer a diagnosis or urgency from this phrase alone.
Drill Catheter Care →«¿Tiene ganas de orinar ahora?»
Do you feel like urinating now?
Patient reply: «Sí, muchas ganas.» Yes, a strong urge.
Note: Report the patient's answer and any new or worsening symptom to the nurse. Do not infer a diagnosis or urgency from this phrase alone.
Drill Catheter Care →«¿La sonda le molesta?»
Does the catheter bother you?
Patient reply: «Sí, me molesta mucho.» Yes, it bothers me a lot.
Note: Report the patient's answer and any new or worsening symptom to the nurse. Do not infer a diagnosis or urgency from this phrase alone.
Drill Catheter Care →The two warnings that prevent harm
Do not pull the catheter. Tell me if it comes out or gets blocked. These are the two warnings, and they are worth saying at the start, not after something goes wrong. If either happens, report it to the nurse at once.
«No tire de la sonda.»
Do not pull on the catheter.
Patient reply: «No la toco.» I will not touch it.
Note: If the catheter has moved or come out, report it to the nurse at once. Do not reinsert it yourself.
Drill Catheter Care →«Avíseme si la sonda se sale o se tapa.»
Tell me if the catheter comes out or gets blocked.
Patient reply: «Sí, le aviso.» Yes, I will let you know.
Note: If the catheter has come out or is blocked, report it to the nurse at once. Do not fix it yourself.
Drill Catheter Care →Output and blood: report, do not interpret
How much urine is in the bag, whether there is blood in it, whether the patient has urinated since removal: report each answer exactly. What it means belongs to the nurse, with an interpreter carrying any conversation that affects care.
«Voy a revisar cuánta orina hay en la bolsa.»
I am going to check how much urine is in the bag.
Patient reply: «Está bien.» Okay.
Note: Report the amount and anything unusual to the nurse. Do not interpret what the amount means.
Drill Catheter Care →«¿Tiene sangre en la orina?»
Is there blood in your urine?
Patient reply: «Sí, un poco.» Yes, a little.
Note: Report the patient's answer and any new or worsening symptom to the nurse at once. Do not infer a diagnosis or urgency from this phrase alone.
Drill Catheter Care →«¿Ha orinado desde que le quitamos la sonda?»
Have you urinated since we removed the catheter?
Patient reply: «No, todavía no.» No, not yet.
Note: Report the patient's answer and any new or worsening symptom to the nurse. Do not infer a diagnosis or urgency from this phrase alone.
Drill Catheter Care →«Avíseme cuando tenga ganas de orinar.»
Tell me when you feel like urinating.
Patient reply: «Sí, le aviso.» Yes, I will let you know.
Note: Report the patient's answer and any new or worsening symptom to the nurse. Do not infer a diagnosis or urgency from this phrase alone.
Drill Catheter Care →After removal
Removal is not the end of the conversation. The question after removal is whether the patient has urinated, and when the urge returns. Ask it, and keep asking until the answer is yes.
«¿Ha orinado desde que le quitamos la sonda?»
Have you urinated since we removed the catheter?
Patient reply: «No, todavía no.» No, not yet.
Note: Report the patient's answer and any new or worsening symptom to the nurse. Do not infer a diagnosis or urgency from this phrase alone.
Drill Catheter Care →«Avíseme cuando tenga ganas de orinar.»
Tell me when you feel like urinating.
Patient reply: «Sí, le aviso.» Yes, I will let you know.
Note: Report the patient's answer and any new or worsening symptom to the nurse. Do not infer a diagnosis or urgency from this phrase alone.
Drill Catheter Care →«Beba agua si el médico lo permite.»
Drink water if the doctor allows it.
Patient reply: «Está bien. Bebo agua.» Okay. I will drink water.
Note: Do not change a fluid order. If the patient asks about fluids, bring the question to the nurse.
Drill Catheter Care →