URINARY CATHETER CARE

CHANGING DRAINAGE BAG:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.
• Empty the urine from the drainage bag into the Make sure that spout of the drainage bag never touches the side of the toilet or any emptying container.
• Place the clean cloth or gauze under the connector to catch any
• Pinch off the catheter with your fingers and disconnect the used
• Wipe the end of the catheter with an alcohol
• Wipe the connector on the new bag with the second alcohol
• Connect the clean bag to the catheter and release your finger
• Check all connections. Straighten any kinks or twists in the

CLEANING YOUR CATHETER:

1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and
2. Using mild soap and water, clean your genital
3. Men should retract the foreskin, if needed, and clean the area, including the
4. Women should separate the labia, and clean the area from front to
5. Clean your urethra (urinary opening), which is where the catheter enters your
6. Clean the catheter from where it enters your body and then down, away from your body. Hold the catheter at the point it enters your body so that you don’t put tension on
7. Rinse the area well and dry it

CONTACT YOUR HEALTH PROVIDER IF:

• Your catheter comes out. Do not try to replace it yourself.
• You have a temperature of 101 °F (38.3 °C) or
• You are making less urine than
• You have foul-smelling
• You have bright red blood or large blood clots in your urine.
• You have abdominal (belly) pain and no urine in your catheter

PREVENTING INFECTION:

• Keep the drainage bag below the level of your bladder and off the floor at all
• Keep the catheter secured to your thigh to prevent it from
• Don’t lie on your catheter or block the flow of urine in the
• Shower daily to keep the catheter
• Clean your hands before and after touching the catheter or

CHECK:

• Palpate bladder
• Ask about patient’s
• Observe character and amount of urine in drainage system.
• Determine that there is no urine leaking from catheter or tubing

SPECIAL POINTS TO CONSIDER:

You may see some blood or urine around where the catheter enters your body, especially when walking or having a bowel movement. This is normal, as long as there’s urine draining into the drainage bag. If there’s not, call your doctor or nurse.

While you have your catheter, drink 1 to 2 glasses of liquids every 2 hours while you’re awake.