Managing urinary catheters inside the home

Practice good hygiene

Always wash your hands with soap and water before and after emptying or changing your catheter bag and if someone else (ie. a healthcare worker, carer or relative) is doing this for you, they should wear gloves. You should also cleanse the catheter site daily.

Use a night stand

For effective support overnight we advise that you use a night stand or bag hanger to securely suspend your 2-litre night bag whilst you sleep. For optimal drainage ensure the night stand is located below the bladder to prevent backflow as urine cannot travel upwards.

Ensure you have supplies to hand

Keep adequate supplies to hand in a convenient place, whether this be in a cupboard in your bathroom, bedroom or living room. Keep an eye on your supply levels and reorder when you have two weeks left to ensure enough time for your goods to be replenished so you do not run out.

Use a fixation device

You may feel that you don’t need a fixation device when you are at home, but one is recommended as an unsecured catheter can be easily pulled or tugged when moving about, causing the catheter to become dislodged. This in turn can cause urethral tearing and damage to the neck of the bladder.