During an open irrigation of a client's indwelling urinary catheter, what must the nurse do with the irrigation volume?

When performing an open irrigation of an indwelling urinary catheter, it is essential for the nurse to accurately document the client’s urine output, taking into consideration the volume of irrigation used. This means that the volume of irrigation should be subtracted from the urine output to provide an accurate assessment of what the kidneys are producing.

This practice is crucial for several reasons. First, it ensures that the healthcare provider has a clear understanding of the patient's actual urinary output, which can be vital for fluid balance assessments and for making decisions about the patient's care. Accurate output measurements are particularly important for patients who may be experiencing fluid overload or dehydration, as these conditions can significantly impact their overall health and may require medical intervention.

In this context, it is also essential to recognize that simply documenting the total urine output without accounting for the irrigation volume can lead to misleading data regarding a patient’s renal function. Ignoring the volume of irrigation in calculations could compromise patient safety and the effectiveness of monitoring.

Thus, accurately subtracting the amount of irrigation from the client’s total urine output allows for effective and reliable clinical decision-making based on true urinary excretion rather than a potentially inflated figure.