What are catheters?

Sooner or later as a live-in carer, you will be placed with a client who has been fitted with a catheter.

A catheter is a soft, hollow tube which has been passed up into the bladder and drains the urine into a plastic bag. 

It is changed by a district nurse at regular intervals and the bag is emptied by the carer several times throughout the day. This is normally about every 2-3 hours or when the bag has filled to no more than 2/3 full.

A night catheter bag is attached for use at night so that whoever empties the bag does not need to get up every 2-3 hours and the bag does not become filled to the brim. Basically, the night bag gives extra space for the entire night of urine to be stored.

How to attach the night catheter bag

• Wash and dry your hands

• Remove the nozzle on the long tubing

• Insert the nozzle at the end of the long tube into the base of the nozzle on the day bag. (This is the nozzle where you would normally drain the day bag)

• Make sure the tap at the other end of the night bag is closed (if not urine will leak out all night)

• Open the valve from the day bag to the night bag tube

• Place the night bag on a stand if you have one, or lay the bag in a bucket or bowl

To remove the night bag

In the morning you will need to remove the night catheter bag and dispose of it. This is done daily.

• Wash and dry your hands

• Close the tap on the base of the day bag where you attached the night bag tubing

• Disconnect the night bag tubing from the day bag nozzle

• Empty the night bag after you have recorded the amount

Final thoughts

Drainable night bags are normally changed weekly unless you are told otherwise. Keep the night bag on the stand and attach it the following night.

Make sure to wash your hands before and after every time you handle the night and day catheter bags. Once you have drained the night bag urine into the toilet you should place it in a plastic bag and dispose of it in the dustbin. 

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