How To Change Urinary Drainage Bag

How Should You Change Your Urine Bag

How to care for your urinary drainage bag

You should change your urine bags every 5-7 days and be sure to wash your hands and dry them with warm soapy water every time you change or empty your urine bags . That is to say, urine bags should be changed once or twice a month. If it smells bad or looks dirty, replace it as soon as possible. Follow these steps to change bags:

Wash your hands.
Disconnect the valve at the end of the pipe near the urine bag. Don’t pull hard. Don’t let the end of the tube or bag touch anything, including your hand.
Clean one end of the tube with rubbing alcohol and cotton balls or gauze.
If the bag is not new, clean the opening of the bag with rubbing alcohol and cotton balls or gauze.
Attach the pipe tightly to the bag.
Tie the urine bag to your leg.
Wash your hands again.

How To Empty A Catheter Bag

This article was medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support , Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support , Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Tennessee in 2006.There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 125,967 times.

You may need to use a catheter at home if you are having difficulties urinating due to an illness, infection, or disease. You or a carer will need to empty the catheter bag to ensure you dispose of the urine properly. There are two types of catheter bags: large catheter bags and leg catheter bags. You and your carer should learn how to empty and clean both bags so that your catheter and its equipment are always sterile and clean.

How Can I Attach Or Remove The Drainage Bag

You use the same steps to attach or remove a large drainage bag and a leg bag.

Gather supplies:
Alcohol pads

Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Empty the drainage bag. Do not touch the tip against the container or the toilet as you empty the urine.

Place the clean towel under the connection between the catheter tube and the drainage bag tubing. The towel will catch urine that may leak out of the tubing.

Pinch and hold the catheter tubing. Disconnect the tubing from the bag by using a twisting motion. Be careful not to pull on the catheter. Place the disconnected bag on the towel.

Clean the tip of the tubing on the bag to be connected. Use an alcohol pad. Start at the tip and clean towards the bag. You may have to hold the bag tubing in the same hand as the pinched catheter tubing while you are cleaning the tip. Do not allow the tip to touch the catheter tubing.

Connect the bag tubing to the catheter tubing. Place the tip into the catheter tubing with a twisting motion until it is securely connected.

Use straps to fasten the bag to your calf if you are attaching a leg bag. You may need to tape the catheter tubing to your thigh. Be careful not to pull the catheter tubing tight. Damage can be done to your urethra and bladder.

Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

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How Should You Empty Your Urine Bag

Always empty your urine bags in a clean toilet. Do not allow the bag or duct openings to touch any toilet surfaces. Pour the urine in your urine bag into the toilet at least two or three times a day, or when it’s a third to a half full. Follow these steps to empty your bag:

Wash your hands well.
When you empty, place the bag under your hip or bladder.
Put the urine bag on the toilet or the special container your doctor gave you.
Open the spout at the bottom of the bag and pour it into the washroom or container.
Don’t let the bag touch the edge of the toilet or container.
Clean the nozzle with rubbing alcohol and cotton balls or gauze.
Keep the spout tight.

When To Call The Doctor

How Often Should You Change A Urinary Drainage Bag

A urinary tract infection is the most common problem for people with an indwelling urinary catheter.

Pain around your sides or lower back.
Urine smells bad, or it is cloudy or a different color.
Fever or chills.
A burning sensation or pain in your bladder or pelvis.
You do not feel like yourself. Feeling tired, achy, and have a hard time focusing.

Are not sure how to attach, clean, or empty your leg bag
Notice your bag is filling up quickly, or not at all
Have a skin rash or sores
Have any questions about your catheter bag

Also Check: Chronic Urinary Tract Infection Causes

Essential Steps To Change A Leg Bag

Welcome back to LINC Medicals series of blogs designed to help catheter users and their carers.

Changing your leg bag

Leg bags should be changed every 5-7 days. Longer times between leg bag changes helps to reduce the risk of infection getting into the closed drainage system.

Changing your leg bag safely involves 5 easy steps:

1. Wash your hands with warm soapy water and dry them

2. Grip the catheter at the join between the drainage tube and the inflation tube and grip the leg bag above the connector. Rotate the catheter gently whilst pulling away from the connector.

3. Take off the cap from the new bag and dispose of the old one

4. Gently but firmly push in the new bag into the catheter. Be careful not to touch the open catheter end or the connector on the new drainage bag. Once connected wash your hands again.

5. Make a note of the date you changed your leg bag on the bag date box, and pop a note in your calendar to remind you to change your leg bag after 5-7 days.

Troubleshooting your leg bag

Sometimes you might notice that yor leg bag is not filling. If thats the case, check the catheter and bag for any kinks or twists in the top of the bag or catheter tubing. Also check the position of the bag. If it is higher than youre your bladder, you will experience poor drainage.

We hope you found this blog useful in your journey to picking a leg bag.

How To Empty The Urine Bag

Wash your hands properly
Make sure the bag is below the hip or bladder as it empties.
Place the bag over the toilet or any container where you can empty it.
Open the spout at the bottom of the bag to empty the urine. Do not allow the spout to touch the toilet or container.
Clean the spout again with rubbing alcohol, and a cotton or gauze.
Close the spout, and make sure it does not touch the ground.
Clean your hands properly again.
Always empty the urinary drainage bag when it is half filled.

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What Do I Need To Know About A Foley Catheter Drainage Bag

A Foley catheter is a sterile tube that is inserted into your bladder to drain urine. It is also called an indwelling urinary catheter. The tip of the catheter has a small balloon filled with solution that holds the catheter in your bladder. The catheter is attached to a drainage bag that holds the urine. A large drainage bag is usually used during the night. A leg bag can be worn under your clothes during the day. The leg bag is worn around your calf or thigh. It allows you to be in public without anyone knowing you have a catheter.

Clean The Drainage Bag

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Have a clean backup bag or other drainage device ready.
Follow these steps:
Wash your hands well with soap and water.
Disconnect the bag from the catheter tubing. Connect the tubing to the backup bag or drainage device.
Drain any remaining urine from the bag you just disconnected. Close the drainage valve.
Pour some warm soapy water into the bag. Swish the soap around, being sure to get the corners of the bag.
Open the drainage valve to drain the soap. Close the valve.
Use a certain solution to clean the bag if your healthcare provider advises one. Solutions that may be advised include:
2 parts vinegar and 3 parts water.
1 tablespoon of chlorine bleach mixed with a 1/2 cup of water.

Ask your healthcare provider how often you should clean your bag. Ask what solution you should use to reduce odor and keep your bag free of germs.

Shake the solution a bit and let it remain in the bag for 30 minutes.

Drain the solution and rinse the bag with cold tap water.

Hang the bag to drain and air-dry.

Also Check: Chronic Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms

How Can I Prevent Problems With My Catheter And Drainage Bag

Drink liquids as directed. Ask your healthcare provider how much liquid to drink each day and which liquids are best for you. Liquids will help flush your kidneys and bladder to help prevent infection.
Check for kinks in the tubing and straighten them out.
Check the tape or strap used to secure the catheter tube to your skin. Make sure it is not blocking the tube.
Make sure you are not sitting or lying on the tubing.
Make sure the urine bag is hanging below the level of your waist.

Cleaning A Nighttime Drainage Bag:

In the morning, take off the drainage bag, put on the leg bag, and clean out the drainage bag the same way as you cleaned the leg bag .
Hang the drainage bag up to dry during the day.

Clean your leg bag and drainage bag every day and replace it whenever your doctor tells you to. This is normally once a month.

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Urinary Catheter Care In The Home

What’s included in this resource?

CPDTime.
3 Assessment Questions

What is this article about?

As part of routine care, you should ensure that there are no kinks or loops in the drainage bag tubing and the urine is being continuously drained both the catheter and draining device are connected securely the drainage bag is being supported by a stand or hook so that the outlet and tubing are kept off the floor the drainage bag is below bladder level at all times, including during transportation and ambulating the catheter is attached to the client with a securing device and the drainage device is closed unless it is being emptied.

When To Contact A Doctor:

Of all catheter users, individuals with indwelling/foley catheters are at highest risk for infections of the urinary tract. Contact your healthcare provider if you have:

Milky, cloudy or foul-smelling urine
Red or pink urine
A fever greater than 101 degrees, or shaking chills
Pain or burning in your urethra, bladder, or lower back
Swelling, draining, or redness in your urethra

You should also contact your healthcare provider if no urine has drained from your catheter in six to eight hours, or if your catheter is leaking or falls out.

Preventing Infections And Other Complications

Having a long-term urinary catheter increases your risk of developing urinary tract infections and can also lead to other problems, such as blockages.

To minimise these risks you should:

wash the skin in the area where the catheter enters your body with mild soap and water every day
wash your hands with soap and warm water before and after touching your catheter equipment
make sure you stay well hydrated you should aim to drink enough fluids so that your urine stays a pale colour
avoid constipation staying hydrated can help with this, as can eating high-fibre foods, such as fruit and vegetables and wholegrain foods
avoid having kinks or bends in the catheter and make sure any urine collection bags are always kept below the level of your bladder

Read more about the risks of urinary catheterisation.

Cleaning Your Leg Bag

Clean your bedside bag each morning. Clean your leg bag each night before changing to the bedside bag.

Wash your hands well.
Disconnect the tube from the bag. Attach the tube to a clean bag.
Clean the used bag by filling it with a solution of 2 parts white vinegar and 3 parts water. Or, you can use 1 tablespoon of chlorine bleach mixed with about a half cup of water.
Close the bag with the cleaning liquid in it. Shake the bag a little.
Let the bag soak in this solution for 20 minutes.
Hang the bag to dry with the bottom spout hanging down.

When Should You Contact Your Healthcare Provider About Your Urine Drainage Bag

Contact your healthcare provider if you have:

Cloudy, foul-smelling urine.
Red or pink urine, mean that there is blood in the urine.
A fever greater than 101 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pain or burning in your urethra, bladder or lower back.
Swelling, draining, or redness in your urethra .

You should also contact your healthcare provider if no urine has drained from your catheter in six to eight hours or if your catheter is leaking.

Symptoms of a urinary tract infection may include:

A need to urinate often.
A painful, burning feeling in the area of the bladder or urethra while you are urinating.
Nausea or vomiting.

You may also feel bad all over â tired, shaky, washed out âand feel pain even when you are not urinating. The urine itself may look milky or cloudy or even reddish if blood is present.

Changing The Urine Collection Bag:

Connecting to night drainage

Before changing a leg bag or drainage bag, assemble the following materials:

A clean bag
If cleaning the bag , white vinegar

Wash your hands with soap and hot water.

Empty the bag. Different types of bags open in different ways, so you may see a drain spout with a removable sleeve, a clamp that opens to the side, or an opening that you twist. Be careful to avoid touching the tip to reduce risk of bacterial contamination.

Place a towel under the connection between the catheter and the bag, then pinch off the soft rubber catheter tube so that urine doesnt leak out.

Disconnect the urinary catheter tube from the current bag with a twisting motion. Keep pinching the soft rubber tube so that urine does not leak out. Be careful not to pull on the catheter.

Place the old bag on the towel.

Prepare to connect the new bag to the catheter from which you just disconnected the old bag. Remove the plastic cap from the end of the bag tubing. . Clean the tip with an alcohol pad, wiping away from the opening to avoid getting the tube dirty. Insert the bag tubing tip in the catheter tube.

If you are using or changing a leg bag, fasten the straps of the leg bag to your thigh. Be careful not to fasten the straps too tightly. Secure the catheter itself to your leg with tape. Make sure to leave some slack in the catheter so that you dont put too much pressure on the bladder or urethra.

Remember that if your leg strap gets dirty, you can wash it with soap and water.

Emptying A Reusable Bag

*Please note that because a leg bag is smaller than a regular drainage bag, it will have to be emptied more frequently. Empty a leg bag when it is half-full, or at least twice a day.

Place a large plastic or metal container on the floor next to you. You may also empty urine directly into the toilet.

Wash your hands with soap and hot water. Although many urine collection bags have anti-reflux valves, it is very important to limit risk of bacterial contamination, which can cause infection.

Empty the bag. As mentioned above, different types of bags open in different ways, so you may see a drainage valve with a removable sleeve, a clamp that opens to the side, or an opening that you twist. Avoid touching the tip with your fingers, the toilet or the container while emptying.

When the bag is empty, clean the tip of the drainage valve with an alcohol wipe or swab, then close the clamp or twist on the leg bag.

Wash your hands again with soap and hot water. If you keep track of your urine volume for yourself or for a caregiver or doctor, write down how much urine was in your bag.

Please note, it is a good idea to occasionally secure the leg bag on the opposite leg. A good time to remember to make the switch is after a shower or bath.

Check And Clean The Catheter Tubing

Check the tubing. If there are kinks, cracks, clogs, or you cant see into the tubing, youll need to change to new tubing as you were shown by your healthcare provider.
If the current tubing can still be used, wash it with soap and water. Always wash the tubing in the direction away from your body. Don’t pull on the tubing.
Dry the tubing with a clean washcloth or paper towel.

Recommended Reading: How To Flush Urinary Tract

How To Clean Your Catheter

Itâs best to clean your catheter twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Youâll need:

Clean washcloth

Then, you can follow these nine steps:

Wash your hands with soap and warm water.

Wash the inside of the bag with soap and cool water .

Rinse the bag with cool water to get all the soap out.

Mix 1 cup cool water with 1 cup white vinegar.

Fill the bag halfway with the vinegar solution, then shake it up.

Let the bag sit for 15 to 30 minutes.

Empty the bag and rinse it with cool water.

Hang the bag to let it dry.

Wash your hands again.

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