Going home with a urinary catheter can feel worrying. You may wonder how to keep it clean, what to do with the bag at night and how to tell if something is wrong. Home catheter care in Tampa from a skilled nurse helps you and your family learn the routine, lower the chance of infection and know when to call for help. This guide covers the types of catheters, daily care, warning signs and who qualifies for nursing visits at home.
Types of urinary catheters
A urinary catheter is a thin, flexible tube that drains urine from the bladder. The most common types people go home with are:
- Indwelling urethral catheter, often called a Foley. It goes in through the urethra and stays in place with a small balloon inside the bladder. Urine drains into a bag.
- Suprapubic catheter. It goes into the bladder through a small opening in the lower belly. A doctor places it, and it usually stays in place for a longer time.
- Intermittent catheters. These are put in to drain the bladder and then taken out, several times a day, on a schedule your doctor sets.
People come home with catheters for many reasons, such as after surgery, when the bladder does not empty well, or when nerve problems from a stroke, spinal cord condition or illness such as multiple sclerosis affect the bladder. Your doctor decides which type you need and for how long.
What a home health nurse does for catheter care
Every visit follows the plan of care your doctor approves. Depending on your orders, a skilled nurse may:
- Check that the catheter is draining well and the tubing is not kinked or pulling
- Look at the skin where the catheter enters the body for redness, swelling, leaking or soreness
- Check your temperature and ask about pain, fever or other signs of infection
- Look at the color and amount of urine and report changes to your doctor
- Teach you and your family daily cleaning, bag care and how to switch between a leg bag and a night bag if you use both
- Change the catheter when your doctor orders it
- Remove the catheter when your doctor orders it, then check that you can pass urine on your own afterward
Catheter changes and removal are done only with a doctor’s order. Your nurse will not change the schedule on their own. If they think something should change, they call your doctor.
Daily catheter care: habits that lower infection risk
Any catheter can let germs into the bladder, so good habits every day matter. Your nurse will teach the exact steps your doctor wants, but most plans include these basics:
- Wash your hands with soap and water before and after touching the catheter, tubing or bag. Caregivers should do the same.
- Clean around the catheter once a day, and after any bowel movement, with mild soap and water. Gently clean away from where the catheter enters the body. Avoid powders and lotions near the site unless your nurse says they are OK.
- Keep the bag below your bladder at all times, including when you walk, sit or lie down. This helps urine flow out and not back in.
- Keep the bag off the floor. Hang it on the bed frame or a stand.
- Empty the bag when it is about half full, or as your nurse instructs, using a clean container. Do not let the drain spout touch the container or the toilet.
- Keep the system closed. Do not disconnect the tubing from the catheter unless your nurse has taught you to, such as when switching bags.
- Secure the tubing to your thigh or belly with a catheter holder or strap, as your nurse shows you, so it does not pull.
- Drink fluids as your doctor allows. If you have a fluid limit for heart or kidney problems, follow that limit.
Switching between a leg bag and a night bag
Many people use a small leg bag during the day and a larger bag at night. When switching, wash your hands, pinch or clamp the tubing as shown, and clean the connection the way your nurse teaches. Do not let the open ends touch anything. Ask your nurse how to clean or replace bags, since this depends on the type you use.
Showering and getting around
You can usually shower with a catheter, but check with your nurse or doctor first. Avoid tub baths unless your doctor says they are OK. When you walk, keep the bag strapped securely to your leg and below the bladder. Loose tubing and long bags can catch on furniture, so take extra care. Our guide to fall prevention for seniors has more tips for moving around safely.
Warning signs: when to call
Call your doctor or your home health nurse the same day if you notice:
- Fever or chills
- New pain in the lower belly, side or back
- Blood in the urine, or urine that is cloudy or smells strong along with feeling unwell
- New confusion, sleepiness or weakness, especially in an older adult
- Redness, swelling, pus or more soreness where the catheter enters the body
- Urine leaking around the catheter
- The catheter falls out. Do not try to put it back in.
Call promptly if no urine drains for a few hours. First check that the tubing is not kinked or twisted, that you are not lying on it and that the bag is below your bladder. If urine still does not drain, or your belly feels full or painful, call your nurse or doctor right away.
Call 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, fainting, a person who is very confused or hard to wake, or heavy bleeding. When in doubt about an emergency, call 911.
After the catheter comes out
When your doctor orders the catheter removed, your nurse explains what to expect. It is common to feel some burning or urgency the first few times you pass urine. Your nurse will tell you how to drink fluids, how long to wait before calling if you cannot pass urine, and what signs to report. If you cannot pass urine, your belly feels full and painful, or you develop a fever, call your doctor.
Who qualifies for home catheter care?
Medicare covers home health care, including skilled nursing for catheter care, when you meet all of these rules:
- A doctor or allowed practitioner is involved. A doctor, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or physician assistant certifies that you need care and reviews your plan of care.
- You need skilled care. That means part-time or intermittent skilled nursing, or physical therapy, speech-language therapy or continued occupational therapy.
- You are homebound. Leaving home takes considerable and taxing effort. You can still go to medical appointments, religious services or adult day care, and take short, infrequent trips.
- You had a face-to-face visit with your doctor or allowed practitioner within 90 days before or 30 days after care starts, related to the reason for home care.
- The agency is Medicare-certified.
Having a catheter does not qualify you on its own. Your doctor decides whether you need skilled nursing, such as catheter changes, removal, close checks for infection or teaching for you and your family. Many people who need catheter care at home are also recovering from surgery, a hospital stay or a stroke. If that is your situation, see our guides to stroke recovery at home and coming home after a hospital stay.
Medicare does not cover 24-hour care, meal delivery, or homemaker and personal care when that is the only care you need. When you also receive skilled care, a home health aide may help with bathing and personal care as part of your plan.
Questions to ask your doctor
- Why do I need the catheter, and for how long?
- How often should it be changed, and by whom?
- What supplies will I need, and where do I get them?
- How much should I drink each day?
- What signs mean I should call you, and what number should I use after hours?
How Making Memories Home Health can help
Our skilled nursing team cares for urinary catheters in homes across Hillsborough, Polk and Manatee counties. Nurses teach you and your family daily care, watch closely for early signs of infection, and change or remove catheters only with your doctor’s order. Teaching is available in English and Spanish, and on-call nursing is available 24/7 for current patients. To learn more about what nurses do at home, read skilled nursing at home: what it is and who qualifies.
We accept Traditional Medicare, plus long-term care plans and private pay. Medicare Advantage coverage and our participation depend on your specific plan, so we verify both before care starts. Call (813) 931-0015 to verify your coverage. See the plans we work with on our insurance page.
If you or a loved one is coming home with a catheter, call us at (813) 931-0015 to talk about next steps. Doctors and discharge planners can send a referral to get care started.
Frequently asked questions
Can the home health nurse take my catheter out?
Only when your doctor orders it. Your doctor decides when the catheter can come out, and the nurse follows that order. After removal, the nurse explains what to watch for, such as trouble passing urine, and tells you when to call.
How often does a catheter need to be changed?
There is no single schedule for everyone. Your doctor or urologist decides when and how often the catheter is changed, based on the type of catheter and how it is working. A home health nurse changes it only with your doctor's order.
Is cloudy or smelly urine always a sign of infection?
Not always. Urine in a catheter bag can look cloudy or smell different for other reasons, such as not drinking enough. Tell your nurse or doctor about these changes, and call your doctor the same day if they come with fever, chills, new pain, new confusion or feeling unwell.
Can a home health aide help with my catheter?
A home health aide can help with bathing and personal care, including keeping the area clean, as part of a plan of care that also includes skilled nursing. Changing or removing a catheter, checking for problems and teaching catheter care are done by a nurse.