Question

When caring for a resident with a urinary catheter what position should the drainage bag always be kept:

A. above the level of the bladder
B. below the level of the bladder
C. at the level of the bladder
D. all of the above

Answer 1

The correct position for a urinary catheter's drainage bag is below the level of the bladder to allow for gravity-assisted urine flow and to prevent infection. the correct option is B. below the level of the bladder

Step-by-step explanation:

When caring for a resident with a urinary catheter, the drainage bag should always be kept below the level of the bladder (option B). This is to ensure that urine can easily flow due to gravity from the bladder into the bag and to prevent the backflow of urine, which could lead to infection.

The principle behind the positioning of the drainage bag is similar to the principles governing intravenous (IV) fluid administration and blood collection. When administering IV fluids, the IV bag is placed above the entry point into the arm to facilitate the flow of fluids into the body. Conversely, during blood donation, the collection bag is placed below the donor to allow blood to flow out of the arm. Thus, for urinary catheters, the drainage bag placement is critical to the proper and safe management of the catheter system, ensuring that urine is drained effectively and reducing the risk of infection.