A client admitted for benign prostatic hypertrophy completes a plan of care and reports difficulty urinating. Which statement best describes this issue?

A client admitted for benign prostatic hypertrophy completes a plan of care and reports difficulty urinating. Which statement best describes this issue?

• A. Complains of inability to empty bladder
• B. Increased urinary frequency with small voids
• C. Experiences urinary incontinence during sleep
• D. Reports blood in the urine

Answer: (A)

When the prostate enlarges, it narrows the urethra and creates obstruction that makes it hard for the bladder to empty. This leads to urinary retention, where urine remains in the bladder after trying to void. The most accurate description of difficulty urinating in this context is an inability to completely empty the bladder. Over time, this can cause a weak stream, hesitancy, and a sense of incomplete emptying, and it increases the risk of urinary tract infections or overflow. Other descriptions—frequent urination with very small voids, incontinence at night, or blood in the urine—reflect different urinary issues and don’t capture the obstruction-and-retention pattern typical of benign prostatic hypertrophy.

When the prostate enlarges, it narrows the urethra and creates obstruction that makes it hard for the bladder to empty. This leads to urinary retention, where urine remains in the bladder after trying to void. The most accurate description of difficulty urinating in this context is an inability to completely empty the bladder. Over time, this can cause a weak stream, hesitancy, and a sense of incomplete emptying, and it increases the risk of urinary tract infections or overflow. Other descriptions—frequent urination with very small voids, incontinence at night, or blood in the urine—reflect different urinary issues and don’t capture the obstruction-and-retention pattern typical of benign prostatic hypertrophy.