When to call your health care professional Things to remember

Do not disconnect tubing for any reason other than to change the bag. Always keep the drainage bag BELOW the level of the bladder. Replace the bag if it becomes odorous, discoloured or if it leaks. The catheter should be changed about every 4 weeks and the drainage bags every week. Do not try to remove the catheter yourself. Tape or secure the drainage tubing to your thigh leaving slack in the line so that you will not pull on the catheter when you move your leg. To clean your leg bag or night bag, wash the bag thoroughly with bleach and water. To reduce urine odor rinse the bag with a solution of white vinegar and water.

NURS 2020

Signs of infection:
o o o o o o Fever, chills, headache or lower back pain. Burning of the urethra. Pain or fullness in the abdomen. Sediment or mucus in the urine, or cloudy urine. Bloody (pink or red) or foulsmelling urine. Nausea and vomiting.

Leakage from around the catheter insertion site. The catheter comes out. Only a small amount of urine in the drainage bag (< 30 mL/hr). Excessive urine output.

At Home Indwelling Catheter Care

References
Du Gas, nursing foundations Lions gate pamphlet Internet sites. NURS 2020
Michelle Cheng, Don Coan, Trevor Eichel.

At home care

What is a catheter?
A catheter is a flexible tube that is put through the urinary opening (urethra) and into your bladder to continually drain urine. The catheter is held in place by a small balloon filled with water, which is positioned in your bladder. The balloon is attached to the same tube that is draining the urine.

Do not pull on your catheter for any reason. Never disconnect the catheter from the drainage tubing. This could allow harmful bacteria into the system. Always wash your hands before handling your catheter. Always keep the drainage bag below the bladder level. Wash around your catheter and surrounding areas with warm water and soap at least twice a day. Remove any encrustations around the urinary opening. Men may apply Vaseline to the tip of the penis. This may prevent or relieve irritation of the skin surrounding the catheter. Drink at least 3000 mL of fluid each day. This will help preserve catheter patency and help prevent infection.

How to change your catheter bag

Wash your hands. Be sure to drain the bag first. Disconnect the catheter bag where it connects to the tubing. Clean the end of the tubing and cover the bag entrance with a cap or a piece of tin foil, to keep it clean. Insert the tip of the catheter into the new or cleaned bag. If you are using a night bag: o Follow the above but insert the tip of the catheter into the clean night bag. o The night bag holds a larger volume thereby minimizing the need for empting as often.

How to empty your catheter bag

Always maintain cleanliness to keep out bacteria. Wash your hands. Unclamp drain tube. DO NOT TOUCH THE TIP OF THE CATHETER. Let the urine drain into container or toilet. Do not let the drain touch the container or sides of the toilet. When the bag is empty, re-clamp the tube (put it in the sleeve of bag that holds it). Wash your hands. Empty the leg bag at least every 3-4 hours or as needed.