Care of a Urinary Foley Catheter Patient at Home

Home care of a patient with a urinary Foley catheter requires a few main considerations, all of which focus on prevention of infection and ensuring that the catheter stays in good working order. Patients and family members can learn these few tips easily to ensure a good health outcome.

Infection Prevention

• The most important tip for patients and caregivers to learn is proper hand hygiene. Only handle the area where the catheter enters the body, the catheter tube, or the bag with clean hands. Patients should clean the area where the catheter enters the body once or twice a day and dry with a clean towel. Men should consider using antibacterial ointment around the insertion site once or twice a day as an additional way to help prevent infection.

  The catheter drainage bag should always stay lower than your bladder (waist level). This ensures that urine does not drain back into the bladder and create an infection in the bladder or kidneys.

Catheter Maintenance

• Patients and caregivers should make sure that the tube between the catheter and the drainage bag is free of kinks. Avoid pulling on the tube, yanking it, or jerking it roughly. Also make sure that the patient does not lie on the tube or otherwise block urine from flowing through it.

Other Considerations

• Patients with a Foley catheter should never take a bath, although showering is usually acceptable. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, and sodas. Try to drink at least 6-8 glasses of water, juice, or milk each day to flush the system. Wearing cotton underwear helps ensure air flow and helps keep the area dry.