How to insert a urinary catheter (male)
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.
Same principles as in women, with a longer urethra and the foreskin to remember.
Step by step
Check the need and prepare
Order, identity, explanation, privacy. [1]
Sterile field
Kit, sterile gloves, drape. [1]
Clean
Retract the foreskin, clean from the opening outward. [1]
Lubricate
Generous lubricant, or anesthetic gel into the urethra if ordered. [1]
Insert
Hold the penis up at about 90 degrees, insert until urine flows, then advance to the hub. [1]
Balloon
Inflate only after urine flows. [1]
Replace the foreskin and secure
Always pull the foreskin back down to prevent swelling. [1]
Common errors
- Forgetting to replace the foreskin.
- Forcing against resistance.
- Inflating before urine flows.
Practice it in VMS
In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
VMS cases that train this skill
Sources
- Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College) (CC BY 4.0)
- OpenStax, Clinical Nursing Skills (CC BY 4.0)
Steps adapted from Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College) and OpenStax, Clinical Nursing Skills, licensed under CC BY 4.0. VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.