When a person is bedridden and cannot move to urinate, it is necessary to use a urinalysis for the collection of urine. Find out how it works.

A urinal is a device that allows a bedridden person or person with reduced mobility to urinate in a lying, semi-lying or sitting position (in bed or in a wheelchair). There are male and female models. It is sometimes called a pistol or urinal-pistol because of its shape.

Composition

The urinal is a strong plastic container (polypropylene or polyurethane) with an anatomical shape at the opening, which is suitable for men or women.

Some models are mixed and have an adaptation device.

It sometimes has a handle for easy handling, sometimes a stopper, in some cases a handle and a screw cap.

Models that do not have a stopper have a raised neck so urine cannot flow through the main stopper. All of these devices are designed with a flat bottom that provides better stability on the mattress and does not require the user to hold it while urinating.

There are also disposable urinal models: these come as waterproof bags with a very absorbent pad with two drawstrings.

The urinal is used to easily urinate bedridden people, disabled people who cannot go to the toilet, temporarily or permanently. This device can also be used by people suffering from urinary incontinence. It is designed so that urine cannot spill. The urinal replaces or supplements the bedpan in hospitals, retirement homes or at home.

Public concerned or at risk

People who may need to use a urinal are people who are hospitalized and cannot move around or those who have to stay in bed at home because they are sick. A urinal can also be used by a person in a wheelchair, an elderly person whose movements are difficult. Finally, you can use a urinal if you have urinary incontinence so you don’t have to get up many times at night.

The stages of operation

A urinal is used in a lying, semi-lying or sitting position, or even standing.

HOW TO USE

• Take the urinal, place it on the penis if you are a man, position it at the level of the genitals if you are a woman.
• After urinating, if the model has a stopper, put the stopper on it.
• The urinal can be left under the sheet or hung on a hospital bed on a urinal holder.
• It must be emptied and cleaned after emptying with soapy water.

Precautions to take

You should not fully retract the penis into the male urinal.

Better to empty the urinal as you go and not wait for it to be full.

The urinal is a device that must be washed (with lukewarm water and soap, for example) to avoid infections.

If it is a model that sterilizes, sterilize it regularly. For the same reason, its use is personal.

The urinal is the modern version of an ancient form of urinal used in the Middle Ages, called a matula. This urinal was used to collect urine for observation.

The different models

There are urinals of different sizes. Those with a capacity of 1 to 2l allow urine storage for 24 hours on average for an adult.

For home use, it may be advisable to choose a model with a secure cap to avoid the risk of leaks (and of wetting the bed sheets for example) and odors. Models with handles are preferred to be grabbed and transported more easily.