Routine care of the indwelling catheter MUST include daily cleansing of the urethral area and the catheter with soap and water. The area should also be thoroughly cleansed after all bowel movements to prevent infection. Experts no longer recommend using antimicrobial ointments around the catheter as they have not been shown to actually reduce infections.

The person who has an indwelling catheter in place should increase their fluid intake (3000 cc of fluid per day), unless you have a medical condition prohibiting large amounts of fluid intake. Also, the drainage bag must always stay lower than the bladder to prevent a back flow of urine back up into the bladder.

The drainage device should be emptied at least every eight hours, or when the device is full. Care must be taken to keep the outlet valve from becoming infected. Wash your hands before and after handling the drainage device.

Sometimes, a low dose antibiotic is given on a daily basis to control bacterial growth in people with indwelling catheters. Additionally, cranberry juice or vitamin C may be recommended to help prevent UTIs.

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