How to Maintain a Foley Catheter Drainage Bag in the Dependent Position

A Foley catheter, also known as an indwelling catheter, is a soft plastic or rubber tube inserted through the urethra into the bladder to drain urine from the bladder. A Foley catheter is placed anytime a person cannot control bladder function. The urine is dumped into a drainage bag located at the end of the tube. The drainage bag must be placed in dependent position to prevent urine from backing up into the bladder. Dependent positioning of the bag utilizes gravity to keep the urine flowing into the bag.

Things You'll Need

• Disposable gloves
• Tape
• Plastic hook

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Instructions

• 1

  Wash your hands with soap and water or use a waterless antibacterial solution. Put on a pair of disposable latex or nitrile exam gloves. To prevent infection, closely maintain hand hygiene anytime you manipulate the catheter site, tubing or drainage bag in any manner.

• 2

  Hold the end of the catheter closest to the insertion site. This will prevent the catheter from becoming displaced while you are positioning the Foley catheter and drainage bag.

• 3

  Position the catheter drainage bag below the level of the hip bones. The bladder is located behind the pubic bone above the hips, making the hips a good landmark for determining dependent position.

• 4

  Inspect the tubing, looking to ensure it is not folded or twisted. Kinks in the tubing will damage the tubing and cause urine to back up in the tube. Backed up urine will result in a bacterial infection of the bladder and urinary tract.

• 5

  Secure the drainage bag to the bed frame using tape or a plastic hook when in a hospital setting or when dealing with an overnight bag at home. The drainage bag should not touch the floor at any point, as this leaves the bag vulnerable to bacteria. If you are manipulating a leg bag, secure the drainage bag to the calf muscle with tape. In both cases, make sure you leave some slack in the tubing to allow range of motion.