CBUNA CURN flashcards

36 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Retroperitoneal kidney location

The kidneys lie behind the peritoneum at the T12 to L3 level. The right kidney sits lower than the left because the liver occupies space above it.

Glomerular filtration rate

GFR is the volume of plasma filtered per minute, normally about 125 mL/min or 180 L per day. It is estimated from creatinine and used to stage chronic kidney disease.

Detrusor muscle innervation

Parasympathetic fibers from S2 to S4 (pelvic nerve) contract the detrusor to empty the bladder. Sympathetic fibers from T10 to L2 relax the detrusor and tighten the internal sphincter.

Ureteral narrowing points

Three sites where stones commonly lodge: the ureteropelvic junction, the crossing of the iliac vessels, and the ureterovesical junction where the ureter enters the bladder wall.

Pneumaturia

Passage of gas in the urine, producing bubbles or a hissing sound during voiding. It suggests a fistula between the bowel and urinary tract, often from diverticulitis or malignancy.

AUA symptom index scoring

Seven questions scored zero to five each, totaling zero to thirty-five. Zero to seven is mild, eight to nineteen moderate, and twenty to thirty-five severe lower urinary tract symptoms.

Bladder diary purpose

A three-day record of void times, volumes, leakage episodes, pad use, and fluid intake. It is the primary tool for evaluating frequency, urgency, nocturia, and incontinence patterns.

Post-void residual measurement

The volume of urine left in the bladder after voiding, measured by bladder scan or catheterization. A value above roughly 300 to 400 mL suggests incomplete emptying or retention.

SBAR handoff

A structured communication format: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation. It is used to escalate concerns such as fever with an indwelling catheter or sudden anuria.

Teach-back method

A verification technique in which the patient explains or demonstrates the instruction in their own words. It confirms understanding better than asking whether they have questions.

CAUTI prevention bundle

A set of practices: avoid unnecessary catheters, use aseptic insertion, maintain a closed system, keep the bag below bladder level, and review the need daily for early removal.

Catheter specimen collection

Clamp the tubing below the sampling port for fifteen to thirty minutes, disinfect the port, and aspirate with a sterile syringe. Never obtain the specimen from the drainage bag.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria

Bacteria in the urine without symptoms of infection. Routine treatment is not recommended except in pregnancy or before urologic instrumentation with mucosal trauma.

Closed drainage system

A catheter connected to sterile tubing and a bag that is never opened to air. Maintaining it intact reduces ascending contamination and is a core component of infection prevention.

Urine culture threshold

A clean-catch midstream specimen showing at least 100,000 colony-forming units per milliliter is classically significant. Lower counts can still be significant with symptoms or catheter specimens.

PSA limitations

Prostate-specific antigen is not cancer-specific. Levels rise with benign enlargement, prostatitis, ejaculation, and instrumentation, so results must be interpreted with examination and history.

Cystoscopy purpose

Direct visualization of the urethra and bladder with a flexible or rigid scope. It evaluates hematuria, stricture, and bladder tumors; mild burning and hematuria afterward are expected.

Urodynamic testing

A study measuring bladder filling pressure, detrusor activity, compliance, and urine flow. It distinguishes detrusor overactivity, outlet obstruction, and stress incontinence.

Twenty-four-hour urine collection

Discard the first void, then collect all urine for exactly twenty-four hours including the final void. Keep the container refrigerated or on ice and record the total volume.

Acute urinary retention

Sudden inability to void, usually with suprapubic pain and a palpable bladder. It is an emergency treated by catheterization, with monitoring for post-obstructive diuresis afterward.

Renal colic presentation

Severe colicky flank pain radiating to the groin, with restlessness and inability to find a comfortable position. Non-contrast CT is the first-line imaging study outside pregnancy.

Bladder cancer classic sign

Painless gross hematuria is the most common presentation of urothelial carcinoma. Smoking and occupational aromatic amine exposure are major risk factors.

Fournier gangrene

Necrotizing fasciitis of the perineum and genitalia. Suspect it with disproportionate pain, crepitus, and sepsis; treatment is urgent debridement plus broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Testicular tumor markers

Alpha-fetoprotein, beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, and lactate dehydrogenase. They support diagnosis and monitoring of testicular germ cell tumors in young men.

Ileal conduit characteristics

The most common non-continent urinary diversion. A short ileal segment carries urine to a right lower quadrant stoma, and an external pouch collects continuous drainage.

Healthy stoma appearance

Rose to red, moist, and protruding one to two centimeters. Pale, dusky, or black tissue signals ischemia and must be reported to the surgeon immediately.

Continent reservoir catheterization

A cutaneous pouch emptied by self-catheterization every four to six hours. Capacity is roughly 400 to 500 mL, and adhering to the schedule prevents leakage and infection.

Orthotopic neobladder voiding

A reservoir constructed from bowel and connected to the urethra. Patients void by relaxing the pelvic floor and using abdominal pressure, and may need catheterization for incomplete emptying.

Alpha-blocker counseling

Tamsulosin and doxazosin relax prostatic smooth muscle for rapid symptom relief. Warn about orthostatic hypotension, dizziness, and retrograde ejaculation; bedtime dosing reduces falls.

Five-alpha-reductase inhibitor effects

Finasteride and dutasteride shrink the prostate over three to six months and lower PSA by about half. Document baseline PSA and inform patients before future screening.

BCG instillation protocol

Instill through a catheter, retain one to two hours, and reposition every fifteen minutes. Void afterward and disinfect urine with bleach for six hours; use gloves and safe handling.

Continuous bladder irrigation

Sterile saline runs continuously through a three-way catheter after prostate surgery. Titrate the rate to keep urine light pink; increase flow and manually irrigate if clots appear.

Intermittent self-catheterization

Clean technique with a lubricated catheter inserted gently until urine flows, drained fully, then removed slowly. Usually performed every four to six hours or as prescribed.

Pelvic floor muscle training

Identify the correct muscles by interrupting urine flow, then perform eight to twelve contractions three times daily. Avoid breath-holding and abdominal straining during the exercises.

Nurse practice act authority

State law defining nursing scope, licensure, and delegation limits. Certification demonstrates specialty knowledge but does not expand the legal scope of practice.

Informed consent elements

Capacity, disclosure of risks, benefits, and alternatives, voluntariness, and documentation. The provider obtains consent; the nurse verifies understanding and witnesses the signature.