CNA Skill: Emptying Urinary Drainage Bag | Step-by-Step Guide for the Florida Exam

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This skill involves safely emptying the urinary drainage bag attached to a resident's indwelling catheter. It requires proper infection control technique to prevent contamination of the drainage system.

Equipment and Supplies Needed

• 1 pair of gloves
• Graduate (measuring container)
• Disposable underpad (chux) used as a barrier
• 2 alcohol pads
• Intake and Output (I&O) recording form

Step-by-Step Procedure

Below are the criteria checklist checkpoints for Emptying Urinary Drainage Bag on the Florida CNA clinical skills exam, the same checkpoints the evaluators score. Checkpoints marked (IC) are the universal indirect care checkpoints, which are scored on every skill.

1. Greet resident, address by name, and introduce self? (IC)
2. Provide explanations to resident about care before beginning and during care? (IC)
3. Wear gloves while handling the urinary drainage bag, graduate, or any urine-filled container, and remove gloves before documenting I&O?
4. Set graduate or bedpan on barrier placed on floor and empty full contents of drainage bag into the graduate or bedpan?
5. Empty contents of urinary drainage bag without contaminating drainage tube (e.g., touching container) and close and protect drain (e.g., clamp and tuck drain into pocket) after emptying drainage bag?
6. Set graduate on flat surface protected with barrier to read, obtaining measurement by reading graduate at eye level, and if urine poured into graduate from a bedpan, complete task over toilet pouring the full amount of urine into the graduate?
7. Empty urine in graduate into toilet after measuring, rinse and dry container, pouring rinse water into toilet?
8. Record output with clean hands?
9. Record output within +/- 50 mL/cc's of nurse's measurement?
10. Record output as urine and indicate the correct time on the I&O form?
11. Leave bag hanging from bed frame (not side rail), and drainage bag and tubing off (not touching) the floor?
12. Keep urinary drainage bag positioned lower than bladder throughout care?
13. Complete skill having stored equipment, placing soiled linens in hamper, and disposing of trash?
14. Ask resident about preferences during care? (IC)
15. Use Standard Precautions and infection control measures when providing care? (IC)
16. Ask resident about comfort or needs during care or before care completed? (IC)
17. Promote resident's rights during care? (IC)
18. Promote resident's safety during care? (IC)

Common Mistakes on the Prometric Test

Based on our experience preparing thousands of students for Florida's CNA state exam, here are the most common mistakes candidates make on this skill:

• Contaminating the drain spout: If the spout touches the container, the floor, or your hands, it introduces bacteria into the closed drainage system.
• Not measuring output, You must measure the urine in a graduated container and record it, don't just dump it.
• Re-hanging the bag wrong: The bag goes back on the bed frame (not the side rail), below bladder level, with the bag and tubing off the floor.

Test Day Tips for Emptying Urinary Drainage Bag

• Be very careful with the drain spout: hold it so it drains directly downward without swinging.
• Place the container close but not touching the spout.
• Read the measurement at eye level for accuracy.
• Set the bag and graduate so the drainage spout never touches the rim of the graduate; adjust the bed height if you need more clearance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you wipe the drain spout with alcohol?

Wiping with alcohol is good infection-control practice, and alcohol pads are provided at the test. The scored checkpoints focus on emptying the bag without contaminating the drain tube and on closing and protecting the drain after emptying; the catheter connects directly to the bladder, so keeping the system clean prevents urinary tract infections.

Master This Skill with Video Demonstrations

Reading the steps is a great start, but watching the skill performed correctly makes a huge difference on test day. Our online CNA course includes:

• HD video demonstration of Emptying Urinary Drainage Bag performed exactly as Prometric expects
• Detailed narration explaining each checkpoint the evaluator looks for
• Practice scenarios and tips from experienced CNA instructors
• All 22 clinical skills plus written exam preparation

Start with a free course preview. See the quality of our video instruction before you commit.

All 22 CNA Clinical Skills

See the full CNA clinical skills guide, or jump to any skill: Handwashing · Mouth Care (Brushing Teeth) · Hand and Nail Care · Denture Care · Feeding a Resident · Taking a Pulse · Measuring Respirations · Changing an Occupied Bed · Dressing with One-Sided Weakness · Female Catheter Care · Bedpan Assistance · Female Perineal Care · Range of Motion (Lower Body) · Range of Motion (Elbow and Wrist) · Range of Motion (Shoulder) · Partial Bed Bath · Change of Position · Wheelchair Transfer · Foot Care · Ambulation with Gait Belt · Indirect Care.