Lying Foley bag on floor?

[bookwormom]

I was teaching foley skills today and told the students to never lay the catheter bag on the floor. One of my students who works in OB/GYN at an area hospital says the aides aretold to always lay the bag directly on the floor so it will drain better.

Has anyone else heard of this?

[kakamegamama]

I think someone is wrong....and I certainly would neither teach or do that. The CNA's either have misunderstood, they've been taught wrong, or the student is voicing what bad practices she's observed. Even if told to do it, I would not--draining better or not. As my bacteriology professor in nursing school would say--''FOMITES!!!!!"

[fgoff]

No, I've never been taught this nor have I taught any else to place the drainage bag on the floor. But I have seen done it ( in one of thaee great magnet hospitals) and when called to ICP attention it was corrected.

[nightmare, RN]

I would never place a drainable leg bag on the floor but the sealed night drainage bags sometimes do not drain too well because of their air tight quality.I often place that on the floor until drainage starts then put it on it's stand to drain normally.I would rather do this than squeeze the leg bag as I think squeezing it can cause a backflow into the bladder.

[Sunflowerinsc, ADN, RN]

Just to see what others are doing, I did a little search. Most information I looked at stressed having the bag below level of bladder, no kinks or loops in tubing. One site on Medline did say hook the bag on side of bed or place on floor! I don't like seeing it on the floor, to much traffic,ect ,could be walked on. But I guess for home care ,where the bed may be low it would be better to be on the floor than have tubing looped. Don't think it needs to be on the floor at the hospital!

[morte, LPN, LVN]

if you really need to have it that low....get a disposable wash basin to put it in

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

if you really need to have it that low....get a disposable wash basin to put it in

Exactly!

It's gross to be directly on the floor!

[LovingNurse, BSN, RN]

if you really need to have it that low....get a disposable wash basin to put it in

Great tip. Thank you. Recently had pt. in hi-low bed to the floor - so foley had to be on floor to be below the bladder. I was told I could put a towel under it if I didn't want to put it directly on the floor - but a basin would've been so much better.

[TraumaRN11]

I've never heard of this. However, we've all heard of something that works which contraindicates how it should be done. In this instance, it is an infection control issue and should not be tolerated. My only suggestion is that is our job to teach students how things SHOULD be done, not how others may do them.

[crazylilkelly]

i work in ob & we certaintly don't to that!

[Tippy-ta-ta]

Great tip. Thank you. Recently had pt. in hi-low bed to the floor - so foley had to be on floor to be below the bladder. I was told I could put a towel under it if I didn't want to put it directly on the floor - but a basin would've been so much better.

When i worked ICU we have done that. especially with some MVA's and such where they maybe in traction or have special beds or special orders for the positioning of the bed. I had questioned a nurse once about putting the foley bag on the floor and she explained it to me..she said what they teach you in school does not always reflect what you learn on the floor.

[daisybaby, LPN]

Ewwww! We never did that in OB either!