The DUC Team on Mercy 8 (difficult urinary catheterization team) is a group of nurses that, while taking on their usual workload, can be called during any given shift to leave their unit and their assignments to go to wherever they are needed to help with the insertion of a difficult foley catheter, setting up continuous bladder irrigation, changing suprapubic catheters, and sometimes even removing a difficult foley catheter. Sometimes, there are multiple calls for various areas per shift. I have never heard the nurses complain or grouse about it. It is a labor of love as they know that when a patient is unable to void, that is a pain that can be excruciating.

The DUC team usage and outcomes are reported quarterly at the Urology Section meeting. The DUC team was started around the time that Dr. Ryan Owen came to Covenant. He explained to Dr. Brian Nicholson about the great need it filled at Dr. Owen’s previous facility, and Dr. Nicholson decided to start this team. Our Urologists love this program. This team helps prevent the patient from having to have a Urology Consult. Dr. Nicholson has spent countless hours training our nurses on tips to use when a patient has had previous urology surgery and/or previous catheterization difficulties and how to address other subsets of patients that may have a potential for urinary catheterization difficulties. This team is a tremendous help to the nurses on the other units and is always willing to help by showing the tricks and tips they use. This team is a great example of collaboration that helps meet our mission and values, as well as the value of service that they exemplify for our patients and caregivers.