Nursing Care Plan for Urinary Retention
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🎓 Educational example. Adapt to your patient and have your instructor review it. Not medical advice.
The inability to fully empty the bladder, causing discomfort, distension, and risk of infection or kidney injury. Nursing care focuses on relieving retention, restoring voiding, and preventing complications.
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Assessment
- Subjective: urge to void with inability to go, lower-abdominal discomfort or pressure
- Objective: palpable/distended bladder, high post-void residual on bladder scan, small frequent voids or none
Nursing diagnoses
As evidenced by: bladder distension, high residual volume
Risk factors: retained urine, invasive drainage
Goals / expected outcomes
- The patient will empty the bladder adequately with a low post-void residual during care.
- The patient will remain free of urinary tract infection.
Nursing interventions & rationale
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Assess bladder fullness with a bladder scanner and monitor intake/output. | Confirms retention and guides intervention without unnecessary catheterization. |
| Encourage normal voiding measures (privacy, warm water, upright position) first. | Non-invasive measures can trigger voiding and avoid catheter risk. |
| Catheterize as ordered using sterile technique when needed; consider intermittent over indwelling. | Relieves retention while minimizing infection risk. |
| Watch for infection signs and address the underlying cause (medications, obstruction). | Stasis promotes infection; treating the cause prevents recurrence. |
Evaluation
- Bladder empties with low residual
- No signs of urinary infection
- Underlying cause addressed
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Build a care plan free Preview Pro (coming soon)Urinary Retention care plan: FAQ
What is the nursing diagnosis for Urinary Retention?
Common nursing diagnoses include: Impaired urinary elimination related to obstruction or reduced bladder tone; Risk for infection related to urinary stasis and possible catheterization. Choose the one your patient's assessment data supports.
What are nursing interventions for Urinary Retention?
Key interventions: Assess bladder fullness with a bladder scanner and monitor intake/output.; Encourage normal voiding measures (privacy, warm water, upright position) first.; Catheterize as ordered using sterile technique when needed; consider intermittent over indwelling. — each paired with a rationale.
Can I use this care plan for my assignment?
Use it as a study example and starting draft. Always adapt it to your specific patient and have it reviewed by your instructor. This is an educational tool, not medical advice.
For nursing education only — NOT medical advice and not a clinical decision-making tool. Nothing here should be used to assess, diagnose, or treat any real patient. Care plans and answers are unverified study drafts to review with your instructor or a licensed clinician and adapt to the individual patient and your institution’s protocols before any use.
Last reviewed 2026-07. Educational content based on standard nursing practice; not medical advice and not affiliated with NANDA-I/NIC/NOC. Always follow your institution's protocols and your instructor's guidance.