Question Of The Day: Genitourinary Disorders

Q. The nurse is assessing the urine of a client who has had an ileal conduit and notes that the urine is yellow with a moderate amount of mucus. Based on these data, the nurse should?

A. Change the appliance bag.
B. Notify the physician.
C. Obtain a urine specimen for culture.
D. Encourage a high fluid intake.


Correct Answer: D

Reason: Mucus is secreted by the intestinal segment used to create the conduit and is a normal occurrence. The client should be encouraged to maintain a large fluid intake to help flush the mucus out of the conduit. Because mucus in the urine is expected, it is not necessary to change the appliance bag or to notify the physician. The mucus is not an indication of an infection, so a urine culture is not necessary.