Foley Catheter drainage bag placement?

[GSG9ers]

Hi there nursing colleagues,

I just want to ask about foley drainage bags. We just been recently visited by the state and they had written us up with regards to proper placement of the tube for the foley drain bag. From the statlock, will it be over the leg down or along the leg then under and down. Our bags were properly placed without touching the floor with dignity bags. But they still wrote us up with regards to the tube, they claimed it should be under the leg. Hoping to hear from you guys soon. Any suggestions would really help. Thanks.

[dorimar, BSN, RN]

If I were you I would pull research & not rely on hearsay or anecdotal information. There is plenty of research out there regarding prevention of UTIs. Try the IHI site for starters.

Now for hearsay & anecdotal information..... I hate over the leg, because I work with lots of confused patients in ICU and when they get restless they thrash their legs and if the statlock has it secured to the top of the leg (as we always do), it is constantly getting pulled with each thrash of the leg (bend & kick, bend & kick).

However, because of this, I remove the foley from the secured statlock on the top of the leg on my confused and trashing patients, and place it under the leg. BUT... I always get in trouble when the suits come around auditing for UTI bundle, because I'm told it is not evidenced based..... OVER the leg is supposedly the correct way.

Please don't take my word for it though.... Research it. IHI is a good site as they have lots of prevention info on UTIs as well as other nosocomial infections.