Which items support Foley catheter care by reducing infection risk?

• A. Maintain closed system
• B. Keep bag below bladder
• C. Daily perineal care
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

Reducing infection risk with Foley catheter care relies on three protective actions working together. A closed drainage system minimizes exposure to environmental bacteria, so the catheter connections stay sealed and are not opened for drainage. Keeping the collection bag below the level of the bladder uses gravity to prevent urine from flowing back toward the urethra and bladder, reducing the chance that bacteria hitch a ride upward. Daily perineal care lowers the skin bacteria around the catheter and meatus, decreasing the microbial load near the entry point. When these practices are combined, they address multiple routes by which infection can occur, making all of them together the best approach to reducing catheter-associated urinary tract infections.