Urinary catheter care at home
A catheter at home needs clean hands, a bag kept below the level of the bladder and regular emptying, and every day you should check that urine drains freely. These are general rules; for your catheter, follow your doctor's instructions.
In short
- Wash your hands before and after every touch of the catheter or the bag.
- Keep the bag below the level of the bladder and off the floor.
- Empty the bag regularly, before it gets full.
- Make sure the tube is not kinked or pulled.
Daily care
Wash your hands with soap before and after every touch of the catheter or the bag.
Wash the skin around the catheter once a day with mild soap and water, then pat it dry gently.
Secure the tube to the thigh so the catheter is not pulled when the patient moves.
Do not disconnect the catheter from the bag unless you need to.
Unless the doctor has limited fluids, the patient should drink enough during the day.
The drainage bag
The bag always stays below the level of the bladder, whether the patient is lying or sitting.
Do not put the bag on the floor.
Empty it regularly, before it gets full.
Change the bag as the manufacturer's instructions or your doctor say.
How to empty the urine bag
Wash your hands with soap and water.
Hold the bag below the level of the bladder, over the toilet or a clean container.
Open the valve at the bottom of the bag and keep its tip from touching the toilet, the container or your hands.
When the urine has drained, close the valve and wipe the tip with clean gauze or a tissue.
Hang the bag back on its holder, below the level of the bladder, and wash your hands again.
What to watch for
Whether urine drains freely into the bag.
The colour and smell of the urine.
Fever, chills and pain in the lower belly.
Whether urine leaks around the catheter.
When to contact a doctor
Contact a doctor if urine stops draining, if a fever or chills appear, or if there is severe pain, blood in the urine, cloudy foul-smelling urine or leaking around the catheter. If the catheter needs changing, we come to your home.
In a sudden deterioration, call an ambulance on 194.
Changing the catheter
A long-term catheter is changed at intervals set by the doctor or the manufacturer. Note the date of each change; we write it down at every change we do at home.
This is general guidance and does not replace medical advice. For your patient, your doctor's instructions come first.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a urine bag be emptied?
Regularly, before it gets full. For most patients that is several times a day, and the bag should always hang below the level of the bladder.
How do I empty a catheter bag?
Wash your hands, hold the bag below the level of the bladder over the toilet and open the valve at the bottom. When the urine has drained, close the valve, wipe the tip and wash your hands again. The tip of the valve must not touch the toilet or your hands.
What should I do if urine is not draining into the bag?
Check that the tube is not kinked and that the bag is below the level of the bladder. If urine still does not drain, contact a doctor; if the catheter needs changing, call us.
Does the urine bag need changing?
Yes, as the manufacturer's instructions or your doctor say. Do not disconnect the catheter from the bag unless you need to.
Get in touch.
On the call we agree on the service, the address and the time of the visit.
- 24/7, every day
- Novi Sad and surroundings
We are not an emergency service. In a life-threatening situation, call an ambulance: 194.