BAG TECHNIQUE

PREPARED BY: Dr. Irynne D. Cabanban

Prof. Emmanuel Immaculata
 BAG TECHNIQUE -PHN
A tool making use of a public health nurse
bag through which the nurse, during
his/her visit can perform nursing
procedures with
q ease and depthness
q saving time and effort with the end
view of rendering effective nursing care
to clients.
 PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE BAG
(PHN BAG)
ü An essential and indispensable equipment
of the Public Health nurse which he/she has
to carry along when he/she goes out for
home visiting. It contains basic
medication and articles which are
necessary for giving care.
 • Paper lining
Contents of • Extra paper for making waste bag

CHN/PHN Bag • Plastic/linen lining

• Apron
• Hand towel
• Soap in a soap dish
• Thermometers (oral and rectal)
• 2 pairs of scissors (surgical and bandage)
• 2 pairs of forceps (curved and straight)
• Disposable syringes with needles (g.23 & 25)
• Hypodermic needles (g.19,22,23,25)
• Sterile dressing
• Cotton balls (dry & with alcohol)
• Cotton applicator
• Cord clamps
• Micropore plaster
• Tape measure
• 1 pair of sterile gloves • Spirit of ammonia (indicated to
treat or prevent fainting)
• Baby’s scale
• Acetic acid
• Alcohol lamp • 70 % alcohol
• 2 test tubes • Hydrogen peroxide (antiseptic
and anti-bacterial)
• Test tube holders
• Opthalmic ointment (used to
• Solutions of Betadine treat eye infection)
(antiseptic) • Benedict’s solution (used to test
• Zephiran solution for the presence of
(antisepsis of skin, glucose in the urine)
mucous membrane, and SPHYGMOMANOMETER and
wounds) STETHOSCOPE are carried
separately.
• Medicine dropper
• Medicine glass
PRINCIPLES of Bag Technique
1.Bag technique helps the nurse
in infection control
3. It should not overshadow
concern for the patient rather
should show the effectiveness
of total care given to
Individual or family
2. It should save time and
effort on the part of the nurse
in the performance of nursing
procedures.
4. It can be performed in a
variety of ways depending
upon agency policy, the home
situation, or as long as
principles of avoiding transfer
of infection is always
observed.
 1. Should contain all the
necessary articles and
equipment
Emergency cases.

Special Considerations
in Bag Technique
 Special
considerations in Bag
Technique
2. Bag and its contents should be
cleaned as often as possible,
replacement of supplies and ready for
use anytime.
 3. It should be well
protected from contact
with any article in the
home of the patient.
Consider the Bag and its
contents are clean and
sterile, while ,the articles
belonging to the patient
are considered dirty and
contaminated.

Special Considerations
in Bag Technique
Special Considerations
in Bag Technique

4. Arrangement of the bag’s

contents should be the
“one most convenient to
the user to facilitate
efficiency and avoid
confusion”.
 Special Considerations in
Bag Technique
5. Bring out only the articles needed for the care of
the family. Those that will not be used should
remain in the bag
Special Considerations in Bag Technique

6. Do handwashing as
frequently as the situation
calls for, it helps in
minimizing or avoiding
contamination of the bag
and its contents.
Special considerations in
Bag Technique

7. When used for communicable

case, the bag should be
thoroughly cleaned and
disinfected before keeping and
reusing.
 CONTENTS AND
ARRANGEMENT OF THE
CHN/PHN BAG
• FRONT OF BAG (LEFT TO RIGHT)
• Thermometer in case (oral, axillary,
rectal)
• Tape measure
• Adhesive plaster
• Cotton applicator
CONTENTS AND
ARRANGEMENT OF THE
CHN/PHN BAG

• Right REAR OF THE Bag

• Test tube(2) + holder(1)
• Medicine dropper
• Alcohol lamp
CONTENTS AND
ARRANGEMENT OF THE
CHN BAG
• LEFT REAR of Bag
• Medicine glass
• Baby scale
• Bandage scissors
• Rubber suction
CONTENTS AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE
CHN/PHN BAG
BACK OF THE BAG (left to right)
1. 70% alcohol
2. Betadine solution
3. H2O2
4. Terramycin Opth. Oint.
5. Zephiran
6. Spirit of ammonia
7. Acetic acid
8. Benedict’s solution
9. Liquid soap
10. Cotton , sterile water
CONTENTS AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE
CHN/PHN BAG

In the CENTER OF THE BAG

1. Two pairs forceps (curved, straight)
2. Surgical scissors
3. Sterile dressing (OS and cotton balls)
4. Roller bandage
5. Hypodermic needles (g. 19, 22, 23, 25)
6. Sterile syringes ( 2ml, 5ml, 10ml - 2
pieces. each)
7. Sterile cord clamp
8. Kidney basin
 CONTENTS OF THE CHN/PHN BAG

On the Top pile, CENTER

OF THE BAG
1. Hand towel in plastic
bag
2. Soap in a soap dish
(place in a separate
plastic bag)
3. Apron
4. Plastic or linen lining
 ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
1. Flashlight, Penlight
2. Tongue depressor
3. STETHOSCOPE and
SPHYGMOMANOMETER
will be placed on a
separate bag.
4. Long black umbrella
note: Folded paper lining
inserted between the
flaps and cover of the
bag
 CONTENTS AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE
CHN BAG

POCKET OF THE BAG

1. Surgical Gloves
2. Waste paper
receptacle
Assessment
1. Review the available
health record of the
client/family to be
visited
 Planning

1. Check the completeness of the

content of the CHN bag.

2. Arrange the materials and

equipment inside the CHN bag
Implementation
1. Introduce self to the client/ family
and explain the purpose of the home
visitation. Provide opportunity for
the client /family to verbalize
understanding of the procedure.
Rationale: This action will help establish rapport and
gain cooperation of the client’s family.
Implementation
2. Provide privacy for the client by
closing the door and curtain or asking
any visitor to wait.
Rationale: Asking visitors to leave the room and
closing the door and curtain protect the person’s
right to privacy.
 3. Take the paper lining
from the bag and
place it on a table or
any flat surface (box
or if not available, you
may use the floor),
clean side out.
Rationale: Protects the bag
from contamination.

4. Place the bag on the

upper left side of
paper lining with the
bag opening facing
the working area and
the bag’s handles or
Implementation strap tucked carefully
beneath the bag.
 Implementation
5. Open bag, take the linen/plastic
lining and spread over the paper
lining with clean side out.
Rationale: The bag and its content should be well
protected from contact with any article in the
client’s house
 Soap and hand
towel placed in Plastic lining

Implementation separate plastic

6. Take out hand towel, soap dish and

apron and place them at one corner
of the work area.
Rationale:To prepare for handwashing.

Manila paper
 Implementation
7. Close the bag without locking and
perform handwashing.
Rationale: Washing hands and taking standard
precautions prevent the spread of infection.
 Implementation
8. After handwashing, put the
soap and soap dish outside the
plastic lining with hand towel on
top of the soap dish.

9. Put on apron right side out and

wrong side with crease touching
the body, sliding the head into
the head strap. Neatly tie the
straps at the back.
Rationale: To protect the nurse’s
uniform as well as for purposes of
infection control.
 10 Remove from bag articles
Implementation needed for care and place at
one corner of the work area
(inside the plastic lining).
Rationale: Only items needed are
taken from the bag in order to
avoid confusion and promote
efficiency.

11. Place paper receptacle

outside the work area.
Rationale: Paper receptacle is
placed outside the working area
to prevent cross contamination.

12. Close the bag and complete

the nursing care.
Rationale: Closing the bag reduces
the possiblity of contamination.
Implementation
13. After completing the nursing care, clean and
alcoholize all the articles used including the top of
the plastic lining
Rationale: All used articles are washed and sanitized to
prevent contaminating the bag and its content.

14. Close and discard the paper receptacle.

Rationale: Used paper receptacles should be properly
discarded because it contains contaminated materials used
for procviding care to the client.

15. Perform handwashing and return all the articles

in their proper places inside the bag.
Rationale: Handwashing is one of the most important steps
that anyone can take to avoid the spread of infection.
Implementation
16.Return the soap and soap dish inside the bag last with the
hand towel under the soap dish.

17. Remove apron folding away from the body, with soiled
side folded inward and clean side out. Place it in the bag.
Rationale:
Folding the contaminated side inward will confine the contaminated surface.
Implementation
18. Fold the plastic lining with clean side out and return inside
the bag. Close and lock the bag.
Rationale: Correct folding of the plastic lining will prevent contamination of the
bag and its content.

19. Fold the paper lining with used side inside and return to
outside pocket( discard if grossly contaminated).
Rationale:
Correct folding of the paper lining will prevent contamination of the bag and its
content.
Evaluation and Documentation
1. Record nursing care rendered.
2. Take note of the environmental factors which
affect the client/family health.
3. Include quality of nurse-patient relationship.
4. Assess effectiveness of nursing care provided.