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Basic Nursing Skills

Catheter Care

Wash the catheter from where it enters the body downward. Never upward. The drainage bag stays below the level of the bladder to prevent backflow. Report any kinks or discoloration.

5-10 minutes•16 steps•2 critical
Clean down, never up. Drainage bag below the bladder — always.

Why this matters

Clean down, never up. Drainage bag below the bladder — always.

Quick tips

  • Wipe away from the meatus and use a clean part of the cloth every stroke.
  • Hold the catheter at the meatus so it never tugs.
  • Bag below the bladder, tube free of kinks.

Common mistakes

  • Wiping toward the meatus, which carries bacteria toward the opening.
  • Reusing the same part of the cloth, which spreads what you just removed.
  • Letting the catheter tug, which can hurt the client and move the tube.
  • Cleaning less than four inches, which fails the critical step.