Question

Which represents the best positioning for a drainage bag or leg bag?

A leg bag should be used for patients who must keep their legs elevated.
A drainage bag should be attached to a hook with the saline drip.
A drainage bag should be attached to the bed but not bed rails.
A leg bag should be used for patients who are rarely mobile.

Answer 1

The positioning of drainage bags or leg bags depends on patient mobility. Leg bags are used for mobile patients and attached to the leg, while drainage bags are for bedbound patients and secured to the bed frame. Proper positioning aids fluid flow and patient comfort.

Step-by-step explanation:

Proper positioning of drainage bags and leg bags is crucial for patient care and comfort. A leg bag should be used for patients who are ambulatory and can move around freely. It is smaller, portable, and worn on the leg, thereby facilitating mobility. For patients who are bedbound or have limited mobility, a drainage bag should be placed at the bedside. It must be secured to a part of the bed frame that is stable but should never be hung on the bed rails due to the potential for bed position changes, which can impact the function of the bag. Bags for blood collection are placed below the donor during blood draws to allow gravity to assist the flow of blood into the bag; this is the opposite of how IV bags function, as they typically must be placed above the entry point to ensure the fluid enters the system due to gravity.

Additional care must be taken with patients who stand for long periods or who may be on long-haul flights, as they can experience blood accumulation in the legs. In such cases, elastic bandages or tight stockings may be recommended to increase venous return and prevent swelling. Use of these prophylactic measures can help in the proper positioning of the leg bag when such accessories are also in use.

Answer 2

A drainage bag should be attached to the bed but not bed rails.

Step-by-step explanation:

A leg bag or drainage bag should be attached to the bed but not bed rails. This is because the drainage bag and leg bag are connected to a catheter in order to collect urine. Therefore, in order to do so, the bag needs to be below the patient's bladder level so that gravity naturally allows the urine to flow into the bag, however, the bag should not be touching the floor. The bed would naturally be the best place for the bag to be attached since it is below the patient and raised from the floor. The guard rails are too high to attach to the bag too since they are there to prevent the patient's body from falling out of bed.