CHN RLE

BAG TECHNIQUE – a tool by which the nurse use during her visit that will enable her to perform a
nursing procedure with ease and deftness, in order to save time and effort, in an attempt to render
effective nursing care to the client
PURPOSE OF BAG TECHNIQUE:
 To carry equipments and materials needed during a visit to a home, school or factory
 To carry equipments and materials that are needed to make tests and to demonstrate care such as
dressing, eye irrigation, injections, urine testing, etc
BEFORE PERFORMING, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
 Prevention of contamination at all times
 Protection of the caregiver
 Make articles readily available
 Make follow-up care
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS IN THE USE OF THE BAG:
 The bag must contain all necessary equipments and supplies that will be used to answer to any
medical needs
 The bag and its contents must always be cleaned as often as possible
 The bag and any of its articles must be protected from contact with any article in the patient’s home
 It is important to consider the bag and its contents as sterile, while articles from the patients’ home
are dirty and contaminated
 The arrangement of the contents of the bag should be the most convenient to the user to facilitate
the efficiency and avoid confusion
 Hand washing must be observed as frequently as the situation calls
 When working with communicable case, the bag must be cleaned and disinfected before keeping
and re-using
EVALUATION AND DOCUMENTATION:
 Record all relevant findings about the client and the family members
 Take not of environmental factors that may affect the client/family’s health
 Include quality of nurse-patient relationship
 Assess effectiveness of nursing care provided
ARTICLES ESSENTIAL INSIDE THE BAG:
 Thermometer (oral and rectal)
 Kidney basin
 Cotton balls
 Gloves
 Bondages
 Scissors
 Eye dropper
 Forceps (curved and straight)
 Eye ointment
 Medications
 Plastic bottle with spirit
 Trash bag
 Syringe and needle
 Apron
 Hand towel
 Soap
  Alcohol
 Sterile dressing
 Micropore plaster
 Baby’s scale
 Betadine, 70% alcohol, hydrogen peroxide
 BP cuff **
 Stethoscope **
**usually carried separately and are never placed inside the bag
STEPS:
1. Select a work area (e.g. veranda)
RATIONALE: to prevent children or domesticate animals in getting in the way
2. Spread the barrier (e.g. newspaper, plastic squares on a flat surface area)
RATIONALE: to create a clean area and keep the bag sterile
3. Prepare a trash bag
RATIONALE: ion order to effectively discard wastes
4. Open the bag, and place the hand washing materials and water on top of the newspaper
RATIONALE: to avoid cross infection
5. Take out necessary articles for the procedure and place on a clean area without touching the
outside of the bag
RATIONALE: to keep the sterility of the articles ; to prevent contamination
6. Give nursing services as indicated
7. After the procedure, wash hands with soap and water
RATIONALE: to avoid cross infection
8. Disinfect the articles used with moistened cotton swab, and return to the bag
RATIONALE: to avoid cross contamination
9. Fold the used barrier, place it in the trash bag, and keep it outside the bag’s pocket
10. Give the trash bag with the barrier inside to the family members for disposal
11. Document what was done, the instructions given and plan for the next visit

Paper lining
Apron
Hand towel
Soap in a soap dish
Thermometers (digital - oral and rectal) round=rectal elongated=oral
2 pairs of scissors (surgical=straight, for suture and bandage=baliko)
2 pairs of forceps (curved and straight)
Disposable syringes with needles (gauge 23 & 25) 3cc and 5cc syringe
Hypodermic needles (gauge 19, 22, 23, 25)
Sterile dressing
Cotton balls
Cord clamp
Micropore plaster
Tape measure
1 pair of sterile gloves
Baby’s scale
Alcohol lamp
2 test tubes
Test tube holders

Solutions of:
Betadine (green)
70% alcohol
Zephiran solution
Hydrogen peroxide
Spirit of ammonia
Ophthalmic ointment
Acetic acid
Benedict’s solution