Cleaning the catheter and surrounding area

To reduce the risk of infection, the area of the client’s body around the catheter should be washed with soap and water at least twice a day and following a bowel action. Clients with an indwelling catheter should be encouraged to perform this activity as part of their normal hygiene routine.

Procedure	Rationale
Explain the procedure to the client	To obtain consent and gain co-operation
Prepare equipment, bowel, warm water, cloth, soap, wipes and disposal receptacle	To ensure that everything required is available
Wash hands and put on gloves	To minimize the risk of contamination
Using a cloth/wipe, soap and water, swab away from the urethral opening	To reduce the risk of ascending infection
Ensure that the client is comfortable	To maintain quality nursing practice
Remove gloves and wash hands	To minimize the risk of cross-infection
Report any purulent discharge from around the catheter	To enable action to be taken and to increase the frequency of cleansing