About this topic
Foley catheter is a thin, flexible tube that drains urine from your bladder. The catheter connects to a special bag. The bag holds the urine until you are able to empty the bag. You may need to have a catheter for a short time. You may need a catheter after you are sick or have had surgery. Sometimes, a catheter is used for a long time ‚
View OriginalView Original
What will the results be?
Your urine will drain and you will prevent infection. ‚
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Your doctor may order a home health nurse to come to your house to help you learn to care for your catheter.
- Prevent infections:
- Wash your hands before and after handling your catheter.
- If you switch between a leg bag and an overnight drainage bag, be sure you clean the connection between the catheter and the bag before you switch bags. Ask your doctor what to use to clean the connection.
- Place a cap on the drainage bag you are not using and store in a clean towel.
- Rinse the empty drainage bag not in use with 1 cup vinegar mixed with 1 cup water.
- Care for the tube:
- Wash the skin around the catheter with soap and water each day. Pat the skin dry.
- Do not put anything on the tube.
- Keep the tube secure. Do not let the tube pull or catch when you are moving around.
- Do not let the tube kink or loop.
- Care for the drainage bag:
- Keep your urine bag below your bladder.
- Drain the bag often to help keep you from getting an infection.
- Wear cotton underwear.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. ‚
What lifestyle changes are needed?
- Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water every day.
- Take showers rather than soaking in a bath.
Will physical activity be limited?
Talk to your doctor about what you can and cannot do when the catheter is in place. ‚
What problems could happen?
- The catheter has a balloon to hold it inside the bladder. The balloon can break or leak and the catheter can fall out.
- Urine flow stops or is blocked by kinks or bends in the tube, or if the drain bag is kept higher than your bladder
- You may see blood in the collecting tube or bag.
- Bladder infection
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection like a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, pain around the catheter, or redness or swelling of the skin around the catheter.
- Urine has blood in it, is dark or coffee colored, or is pus-like
- Tube comes out or urine stops flowing
- Burning or painful feeling in your bladder
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you how to prevent infection and care for the tube and bag of my foley catheter.
- I can tell you what I will do if my urine stops flowing or there is a burning or painful feeling in my bladder.
Where can I learn more?
National Institutes of Health ‚
http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/patient_education/pepubs/bladder/foley5_17.pdf ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚