Bag Technique

DEFINITION:
The nursing bag, frequently called the PHN bag, is a tool used by the nurse during home and community visit
to be able to provide care safely and efficiently.

Principle of the Nursing Bag:

1. Bag technique helps the nurse in infection control (The nurse protects himself or herself and the
nursing bag and its content from contamination)
2. Bag technique allows the nurse to give care efficiently. (it saves time and effort by ensuring that the
articles needed for nursing care are avialble)
3. Bag technique should not take away the nurse’s focus on the patient and the family. (it is simply a tool
in providing care)
4. Bag technique may be performed in different ways. (There may be variations in using the bag
technique beacause of agency policies and the home situation)

PURPOSE:
- It minimizes and prevents transfer of microorganism as source of infection.
- It saves time and effort when doing emergency nursing procedure.
- To have an organized and systematic way of utilizing available articles, supplies and
equipment use to answer emergency needs and to maximize space usage of the bag.
- To easily arrange contents of the bag most convenient to the nurse for her to effectively render
care.

EQUIPMENT: SOLUTIONS:
Paper lining Apron Alcohol Lamp 70% Alcohol
Waste bag Hand towel Soap, soap dish Spirit of Ammonia
Surgical Scissor Sterile gauze Cord clamp Acetic acid
Bandage Scissor Forceps Sterile needles Benedict’s solution
Sterile syringes Sterile gloves Clean gloves Hydrogen peroxide
Thermometer Tape measure Baby’s scale Others:
Cotton balls Plaster Test tubes Ophthalmic ointment

CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE, DURING and AFTER THE PROCEDURE:

1. Remember to proceed from Clean to contaminated “ for example provide nursing care first to the
newborn, then the postpartum, if the nurse schedules several home visits within the day, the sequence
should be the family with a postpartum and newborn first, then the family with communicable disease.
2. The bag and its content should be well protected from contact with any article in the patient’s home,
consider the bag and its content clean or sterile, while articles belong to the patient as dirty and
contaminated.
3. Bring out only the articles needed for the care of the family. Those that will not be used should remain
in the bag.

THINGS TO DOCUMENT AFTER THE PROCEDURE:

1. We need to document all the interventions done to our patient.

Preparation Rationale C X N R
To protect the bag from being

Community Health Nursing I Page 1

 1. Upon Arrival at the client’s home contaminated.
place the bag on aflat surface oron a
table lined with a clean paper.

Ask for a basin of water or a glass of

2. To be used for handwashing.
drinking or tap water.

Open the bag and take out the towel

3. To prepare for handwashing.
and soap.

4. Wash hands using soap and water.

To prevent transmission of microorganism.
Wipe to dry.

5. Take out the apron from the bag and

To protect the nurse uniform.
put it on.

To have an organize work and to save time

6. Put out all necessary articles needed
and effort.
for the specific care.

Close the bag and put it in one corner To prevent from contaminating the bag as
7. work is in progress.
of the working area.

Proceed in performing the necessary To provide necessary nursing care to client

8.
in the community.
nursing care and treatment.

9. After rendering the treatment, clean Cleaning used articles prevents spread of
items used and discard soiled microorganism.
supplies. Perform handwashing.

Open the bag and return the items To have an organized contents inside the
10. bag.
that were used in their proper places.

11. Remove the apron and fold it by Placing soiled items inside the bag will
holding it away from you. The soiled contaminate other clean articles inside the
side in and clean side out. Place it in a bag.
bag if it is not soiled.

12. Fold the lining, throw it in a Unsoiled paper lining can still be used.
receptacle and close the bag.
Document all the necessary data
13. gathered, observations, nursing care Proper documentation of treatment is a
responsibility of a nurse. This will also serve
provided and treatment rendered.
as a reference in future consultation and
Give instruction for care of client in
treatment.
the absence of the nurse.

Community Health Nursing I Page 2

 Make an appointment for the next Taking note of the next visit of the client will
14.
visit. remind nursesto follow up care.

Ability to answer questions

COMPLETED YES NO DATE OF COMPLETION SIGNED

REMARKS:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NAME: __________________________________________ DATE: _________________________

SECTION: ______________________ DURATION OF PERFORMANCE: ____________

Urinalysis
(Benedict’s &Acetic Acid Tests)
DEFINITION:
 This is a very simple and effective method of ascertaining the presence or the amount of glucose in
the urine and can be done by the diabetic client himself.
 Acetic acid test is a good tool for nurses to have an idea about the albumin in the urine. This is done
for people with history of HPN

PURPOSE:
1. To test the evidence of sugar and albumin in the urine (Glucosuria/Proteinuria/Albuminuria)
2. To test the specific gravity of the urine (is an indicator of urine concentration, or the amount of solutes
(metabolic wastes and electrolytes) present in the urine)
1. To test reaction
EQUIPMENT:
Benedict’s solution (fresh, not more than 3months) Match
Alcohol lamp Dropper
Denatured alcohol Test tubes
Test tube holder
CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE, DURING and AFTER THE PROCEDURE:
1. Instruct the patient to drink at least 1-2 glasses of water before the test.
2. Provide health education the client about the procedure and result.
3. Wipe all the articles with spirit swab before placing them to the bag
THINGS TO DOCUMENT AFTER THE PROCEDURE:
The Docummenr the result

Preparation Rationale C N X R
1. Explain procedure to the client.
2. Gather all the necessary equipment needed for the
procedure.

Washing the perineal area

3. • Place paper lining on a table or on any clean flat
reduces the number of skin and
surface transient bacteria, decreasing
• Identify the client. Open the CHN bag over a plastic the risk of contaminating the
lining, tucking the handles beneath the bag. Open the urine specimen
bag, take out the apron, soap in a dish and towel.

Community Health Nursing I Page 3

 • Do thorough hand washing. Put on the apron.
Prepare necessary materials and waste receptacle at
one area.
•Instruct client the importance of the procedure.
• Encourage client to wash genitals prior to taking
the urine samples. Usually taken early in the
morning &taking the midstream flow.
۰Light the lamp

Benedict’s Test (for glucose) :

 Collect urine specimen (before meals or 2 hours

after meal.) Set aside.
 In a test tube. Put 5 ml (1tsp) of Benedict’s
solution.
 Heat the Benedict’s solution.
 Hold the test tube with a test tube holder over a
spirit lamp until Benedict’s Solution boils. Make
sure to avoid over flowing of the solution.
 There should be no color change.
(If the color of the solution is altered upon
heating, it is considered contaminated.)
 Then, add 8-10 drops of urine into Benedict’s
solution then boil the mixture. Let it cool down.
 While cooling down, the mixture changes its
color.

Evaluation :
Interpretation of RESULTS:
Blue- sugar is absent/(-)
Green- 0.5% sugar ( + )
Yellow-1% sugar ( ++)
Orange-1.5% sugar( +++)
Brick red-2% sugar or more sugar

Acetic Acid Test :

( for Albumin)

 Collect urine specimen before meals

 Imagine dividing the test tube into three parts
 Put urine approx. 2/3 into the test tube.
 Heat the test tube to boiling point. (Mouth of the
tube should not face the examiner and client).
 Add 5 drops of 10% acetic acid; one drop at a
time.
 Put off the flame
 Wash the test tube, the holder and droppers with
cotton balls with alcohol (3pieces).
4. Evaluation:
 Interpret and record the data
Acetic Acid Test Interpretation of Results

Clear/No turbidity( -- ) negative

Cloudiness / Faint turbidity:
( + ) - albuminuria
Heavy turbidity: (++ )

Community Health Nursing I Page 4

 Solid (Opaque) : (+++)
Ability to answer questions :
COMPLETED YES NO DATE OF COMPLETION SIGNED
REMARKS:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Community Health Nursing I Page 5