What is catheter care at home?
A urinary catheter is a thin, flexible tube that drains urine from the bladder. Going home with one 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.
With catheter care from a skilled nurse, you and your family learn the routine and get regular checks from someone trained to spot problems early. This care is part of our skilled nursing service. Your doctor orders it, and every visit follows a written plan of care.
Our nurses care for people with:
- Indwelling urethral catheters, often called Foley catheters, which drain into a bag
- Suprapubic catheters, which go into the bladder through a small opening in the lower belly
- Intermittent catheters, when you or a family member needs to learn how to use them as your doctor orders
People come home with catheters for many reasons, such as after surgery, when the bladder does not empty well, or when a stroke or nerve condition affects the bladder.
What our nurses do
Depending on your doctor’s orders, your nurse may:
- Check that the catheter drains 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 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
- Change the catheter, but only when your doctor orders it
- Remove the catheter, but only when your doctor orders it, then check that you can pass urine on your own
Catheter changes and removal are done only with a doctor’s order. Your nurse will not change the plan on their own.
Daily habits that lower infection risk
Your nurse teaches the exact steps your doctor wants. Most plans include:
- Wash your hands before and after touching the catheter, tubing or bag
- Clean gently around the catheter each day with mild soap and water
- Keep the bag below your bladder at all times, and off the floor
- Empty the bag when it is about half full, without letting the spout touch anything
- Keep the tubing connected unless your nurse has taught you how to switch bags
- Secure the tubing to your leg or belly so it does not pull
- Drink fluids as your doctor allows, and follow any fluid limit you have
Our article on home catheter care in Tampa goes into more detail on daily care, showering and switching bags.
Signs of infection and when to call
Any catheter can let germs into the bladder, so watch closely. Call your doctor or your nurse promptly if you notice:
- Fever or chills
- New pain in the lower belly, side or back
- Blood in the urine, or cloudy, strong-smelling urine along with feeling unwell
- New confusion, sleepiness or weakness, especially in an older adult
- Redness, swelling, pus or soreness where the catheter enters the body
- Urine leaking around the catheter
- The catheter falls out. Do not try to put it back in.
If no urine drains for a few hours, check that the tubing is not kinked and the bag is below your bladder. If it 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.
Who qualifies for home catheter care?
Nursing visits for catheter care often help people who just came home from the hospital or a rehab facility, are recovering from surgery or a stroke, or have a long-term catheter and need regular checks and teaching. Having a catheter does not qualify you on its own. Your doctor decides whether you need skilled nursing.
For Medicare home health, you generally must meet all of these rules:
- A doctor or allowed practitioner orders your care. A doctor, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or physician assistant certifies that you need it and reviews your plan of care.
- You need part-time or intermittent skilled care, such as skilled nursing, physical therapy, speech-language therapy or continued occupational therapy.
- You are homebound. Leaving home takes considerable and taxing effort. Short, infrequent trips for medical care, religious services or adult day care are OK.
- You had a face-to-face visit with your doctor or allowed practitioner within 90 days before or 30 days after your care starts.
- Your agency is Medicare-certified. Making Memories Home Health is.
What Medicare and insurance cover
When you meet the rules above, Medicare can cover skilled nursing visits for catheter checks, teaching and any changes or removal your doctor orders. If your plan of care also includes skilled nursing or therapy, a home health aide may help with bathing and personal care. Many people with a catheter are also healing from surgery, and our wound care nurses can care for an incision during the same visits. Medicare does not cover 24-hour care, or personal care when that is the only care you need.
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. You can see all the insurance plans we accept.
How to start catheter care at home in Tampa
Our nurses visit homes in Tampa, Plant City, Lutz and across Hillsborough, Polk and Manatee counties. To begin:
- Talk to your doctor. Ask whether nursing visits for your catheter are right for you. If you are in the hospital, ask the discharge planner for a referral to Making Memories Home Health.
- Call us at (813) 931-0015. You or a family member can call first. We check your coverage and contact your doctor for the order.
- Your doctor sends the order. Doctors, urologists and case managers can send a referral online or by fax to (813) 931-0017.
- Your first visit. A registered nurse checks your catheter, reviews your health and medicines, and shows you the basics of daily care.
- Your plan of care. Your nurse and your doctor agree on visit times, teaching goals and any ordered catheter changes or removal. Care and teaching are available in English or Spanish.
Frequently asked questions
Can the nurse change or remove my catheter?
Only when your doctor orders it. Your doctor or urologist decides when a catheter is changed or comes out, and our nurse follows that order. If your nurse thinks something should change, they call your doctor.
Is cloudy or smelly urine always a sign of infection?
Not always. Urine can look cloudy or smell different for other reasons, such as not drinking enough. Tell your nurse about these changes, and call your doctor promptly if they come with fever, chills, new pain or new confusion.
Can a home health aide help with my catheter?
An aide can help with bathing and keeping the area clean, as part of a plan of care that also includes skilled nursing. Checking for problems, teaching catheter care and any ordered changes or removal are done by a nurse.
Does Medicare pay for nursing visits for my catheter?
Medicare can cover skilled nursing visits for catheter care when you meet the home health rules and your doctor certifies a plan of care. Having a catheter alone does not qualify you. Call (813) 931-0015 and we will help you verify your coverage.
How do I get started?
Ask your doctor or hospital discharge planner to send a referral to Making Memories Home Health, or call us and we will reach out to your doctor. After we receive the order, a nurse schedules your first visit.
Where we provide catheter care
We visit patients at home in Hillsborough, Polk and Manatee counties, including:
Tampa · Brandon · Riverview · Plant City · Temple Terrace · Lutz · Carrollwood · Town 'n' Country · Lakeland · Winter Haven · Bradenton · Lakewood Ranch
Hillsborough County · Polk County · Manatee County
Insurance we accept
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 insurance we accept.
Doctors, hospital discharge planners and case managers can send a home health referral by fax to (813) 931-0017. How to refer a patient.
Other services
Making Memories Home Health provides home health care services.
Skilled Nursing · Wound Care · Home IV Therapy · Medication Management · Physical Therapy · Occupational Therapy · Speech Therapy · Medical Social Work · Home Health Aide · Medicare Home Health · Home Care & Long-Term Care