Use of point-of-care ultrasonography by nurses to identify urinary retention in intensive care care
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36517/2175-6783.20262796937Keywords:
Ultrasonography; Intensive Care Units; Urinary Retention; Nursing Care.Abstract
Objective: to analyze the use of point-of-care ultrasonography by nurses in identifying urinary retention among patients admitted to an intensive care unit. Methods: a cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study conducted at a university hospital with 22 patients and 9 nurses. Clinical characterization and ultrasonographic evaluation questionnaires were used, alongside descriptive statistical analysis and association tests, setting a significance level at 5%. Results: 27 ultrasonographic evaluations were performed. Urinary retention was identified in 13 evaluations (48.1%), with a mean bladder volume of 313.5 ± 108.45 mL. The most frequent indications for bladder ultrasonography were decreased urine output and absence of postoperative voiding. The median time to perform the technique was 5 (IQR: 5–10) minutes. A significant association (p = 0.049) was observed between urinary retention and a prior history of retention during hospitalization. Conclusion: point-of-care ultrasonography performed by qualified nurses proved viable in supporting the identification of urinary retention in critically ill patients. Contributions to practice: ultrasonography serves as a healthcare technology that assists nurses in preventing urinary retention in critically ill patients by enabling rapid bedside assessment of bladder volume, thereby promoting more precise clinical decisions and timely interventions.
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Data Availability Statement
The authors declare that the data presented in this study are available within the article. Individualized raw data are not publicly available due to participant confidentiality considerations but may be made available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Milena Leal Bastos de Souza, Cláudio José de Souza, Raquel Dias dos Santos Dantas, Alessandra Cristina de Oliveira Aquino, Caroline Pereira Ribeiro Tomaz, Rodrigo Leite Hipolito, Weslei Cabral Dias
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