CARING FOR DRAINAGE BAGS

849

Caring for Drainage Bags – Leg and Bedside

CONNECTING A Catheter TO A DRAINAGE BAG

Wash hands before and after the procedure.
Wipe end of the catheter with alcohol swab, cleansing thoroughly.
Wipe the connector on the drainage tube with alcohol swab, cleansing thoroughly.
Connect catheter to the tubing.
If you have a Foley Catheter, clamp tubing either by pinching with your fingers or using a clothespin prior to disconnecting (see diagram below). Unclamp when new tubing is recommended. This will prevent urine from leaking out of catheter.

POSITIONING A URINARY DRAINAGE BAG

Always keep the drainage bag below the level of your bladder.

Leg Bags

Always apply leg bags to the calf.
Alternate legs each day.
Always apply Leg Bag with flutter valve at the top. This prevents the urine from backing up into the catheter from the leg bag. Test the flutter valve during cleaning. Tip the bag upside down. If water flows out of the flutter valve, discard the bag

Make sure the leg bag-connecting tubing is short enough to prevent kinking, and long enough to prevent pull on catheter.

Bedside Drainage Bags

Always keep draining bag below the level of your bladder.

Keep tubing coiled on the bed. Do not let tubing hang below drainage bag.
Connect drainage bag to the bed. Do not allow bag to lay on the floor

EMPTYING DRAINAGE BAGS

Empty drainage bags frequently.
Do not allow bag to become more than half full.
When emptying, note urine color, consistency, and odor.

CLEANING DRAINAGE BAGS
Once you have removed your leg bag or bedside drainage bag, it must be cleaned thoroughly to prevent infection and reduce odor.

Supplies Needed

Hot running water.
Clorox solution – 2 tablespoon to 1 quart of water ( or 4 ounces of Clorox to 1 gallon of water).
Catheter tip syringe.

Procedure	Other Information
Empty urine from the bag	Make sure you note color, consistency and odor of urine.
Rinse bag thoroughly with hot water and empty	Always put solution through top port and empty from bottom port
Fill bag approximately 2/3 full with Clorox solution and soak for 30 min.	Be sure the top port is always capped when soaking or drying
After soaking, empty bag
Using catheter tip syringe, place enough air into the bag so the plastic is not sticking together. This allows adequate drying	For leg bags – use approximately 100 cc of air. For bed side drainage bags, use approximately 200 cc of air
Replace cap
Store in clean towel, (or bag) until ready for use.