To Foley or Not To Foley: Emergency Nurses' Perceptions of Clinical Decision Making in the Use of Urinary Catheters in the Emergency Department

IntroductionThe purpose of this study was to obtain information about individual and environmental factors that affect clinical decision making regarding urinary catheter placement and maintenance as reported by a sample of emergency nurses in the United States.MethodsA qualitative exploratory design featuring focus group data collection and analysis methods was used in this study.ResultsThe following themes were identified: frequency, ownership, education and competencies, negotiation with families, communication, and barriers and facilitators.DiscussionDecision making with regard to catheter placement is reported as being under the purview of nursing, with little collaborative discussion. It may be important to reformat education and competency to include observational evaluations of decision making with regard to appropriate indications for insertion; validation of insertion techniques may be important as well.