22.4.3  Removing the catheter

When it is time to remove the catheter, prepare the necessary items on a very clean tray or dish.

• The equipment you will need are sterile or very clean gloves, and a syringe to remove the water from the catheter balloon.
• Tell the patient you are going to remove the catheter and this may cause a little discomfort. Put on the gloves and without disconnecting the drainage tube use the syringe to collapse the balloon by sucking the sterile water back into the syringe. When all the water has been withdrawn, slowly pull out the catheter.

Explain to the woman that she may feel some soreness or slight burning pain when she urinates normally for the first few times, but her bladder will soon be functioning normally.