INTRODUCTION

Community health bag is the carrier containing the tools , equipments and materials needed
during the nurse’s visit to home for performing nursing interventions which include various
diagnostic tests, demonstration of care and patient care activities. Community health bag
made up of leather, canvas, or light metals .The material should be dark in colour washable
and durable .It should be stable and should not be collapsed when placed over a surface.

DEFINITION

 The bag technique is a tool by which the nurse, during her visit will enable her to
perform a nursing procedure with ease and deftness, to save time and effort with the
end view of rendering effective nursing care to clients.
 The public health bag is an essential and indispensable equipment of a public health
nurse which she/he has to carry along during her home visits. It contains
basic medication and articles which are necessary for giving care.

PURPOSE:

 To carry equipment and material needed for home, school or industrial visit.
 To carry equipment and materials that are needed to make tests and to demonstrate
care such as dressing ,eye irrigation, injections, urine testing etc.
 To perform nursing procedures and blood and urine investigations during visit.

PRINCIPLES OF BAG TECHNIQUE

 The nurse should use economical method of using supplies and equipments in bag
appropriately.
 Clean and dry the bag and articles before replacing it to the bag.
 Clean and sterilize contaminated articles before returning to bag.
 Keep sterile equipments in sterile compartment of the bag(top compartment).
 Use the equipments and materials available in the home while carrying out the
nursing procedures in home.
 Teach the family members regarding nursing care be performed in home.
 Follow the standing orders appropriately ,while providing care at home.
 Follow aseptic technique through out the procedure.
 Provide privacy and comfort when carrying out any procedure.
 Maintain IPR (Inter –personnel Relationship) to the family.

EQUIPMENTS:

Outside pocket  Soap in a soap dish

 Hand towel
 Nail brush
 Nail cutter
 News paper
 Newspaper bag
 Apron
 Pocket diary
 Pen and pencil
 Side pockets

 Measuring inch tape

 Litmus paper
 Filter paper
 Talliqus ,Hb scale
 News paper
 Specimen bottles
 1 pair of sterile gloves

Top compartment /sterile/clean  Dressing pack (small bag with clean

compartment cotton or gauze)
 Bandages
 Scissors -5 inch-1
 Artery forceps -5 inch -1
 Dissenting forceps- 4 inch/ thumb
forceps -1
 Hypodermic needles(g.19,22,23,25)
 Disposable syringes with needles
(g.23 and 25)
 Slide -2
 Steel kidney tray
 Cotton and gauze pack
 Solution bowl(small)-1
 Drugs / medicine, lancet.
 Solutions:
1. Benedict,s solution
2. Spirit
3. Betadine (povidone-iodine)
4. Acetic acid
5. Savlon or dettol
 Lower compartments  Ounce glass/ measuring cup-1
 Plastic kidney tray-1
 Test tube and test tube holder-1
 Medicine dropper -1
 Spirit lamp
 Spatula
 Fetoscope
 Match box
 stethoscope

BP apparatus should be carried separately and are never placed in the bag.

Points to consider :

 The bag should contain all the necessary articles, supplies and equipment that will
be used to answer the emergency needs.
  The bag and its contents should be cleaned very often,the supplies replaced and
ready for use anytime.
 The bag and its contents should be well protected from contact with any article in
the patient ‘s home.
 Consider the bag and its contents clean And sterile,while articles that belong to the
patients as dirty and contaminated.
 The arrangement of the contents of the bag should be the one most convenient to
the user,to facilitate efficiency and avoid confusion.
 Don’t keep any personal things inside the bag such as books and snacks.
 Protect the bag while using in the house from handling by children, from dust.

Bag technique procedure

Nursing Procedure Rationale

 Upon arrival at the patient’s  To protect the bag from getting

home,place the bag on the table or in
a clean paper.The clean side must be
out and the folder part, touching the
table.
 Select work area (clean and well
lighted)
 Spread news paper on a flat surface
and place bag in one corner of the
news paper.
contaminated.
 To prevent children or domestic
animal getting in the way.
 To create a clean area.The remaining
area of the news paper can be used to
place articles from inside the bag for
carrying out procedure

 Make paper bag to receive soiled  To discard the waste

dressing and cotton.
 Remove the watch and other
jewelries.
 Unbutton the outer lining of the bag
and touch only the outer part and
 open the bag.
 Remove the articles from bag for
hand washing.
 Keep the towel and soap dish in
aclean place near the washing area
where water will drain off.
 Wash hands with soap,scrub together  To prevent cross infection
for 20-30 seconds ,rinse hands and
dry with clean towel.

 Put an apron if necessary.  To prevent contamination of uniform

 Touch the inner part of the outer  Outer part of bag is contaminated.
cover to open the inner lining of the
bag and keep the folds aside on both
sides.
 Take out the necessary articles for the  Prevents contamination of equipment
procedure and place on clean area of and supplies
news paper without contaminating
outside.
 Half cover the bag  Prevents exposure of articles inside
the bag and prevents contamination.

 Carry out the nursing procedure

 Keep soiled swabs and waste in the  To discard waste later

paper bag and give for disposal to
family members.
 Clean and wipe outside of used  Keep articles ready for next use.
bottles and bowls with cotton swab
moistened with spirit.
  Boil the used instruments for 5  To disinfect the instruments
minutes and keep inside the bag.
 Place articles which are contaminated
with infected material in a plastic
cover in the outer part of the bag for
autoclaving before replacing into the
bag.
 After procedure do hand washing.  To prevent contaminating the bag

 Open the bag and replace all  Keep article ready for next use.
equipments to bag in proper place.  Promotes safe disposal of
contaminated waste.

 Close the inner lining and half close 

the outer lining
 Bring soap dish and towel and replace
them in pocket of side lining.
 Touch the outer part of outer lining
and close the bag.
 Document findings,procedure,  To evaluate nursing care given and
instructions given and plan for next plan for future visit.
visit.
 Take out the bag

 Take the news paper and fold it with  Used side is contaminated.
used side inside and place it in the
side pocket and carry bag.
CONCLUSION

Bag technique refers to the skill and knowledge in preparing and using the materials and
equipment in the community health bag for performing various nursing interventions at
home .
REFERENCES:

Books

1. Shincy George, “A Comprehensive Procedure Manual of Community Health

Nursing”, EMMESS Medical publishers, First Edition ,2015: 3-7.
2. Shyamala D Manivannan, “Procedure Manual Community Health Nursing” ,CBS
Publishers, First Edition,2016 : 7-8.

Internet

1. https://slideplayer.com/slide/12926720/

2. www.authorstream.com/Presentation/mubarakneo-1314155-bag/

3. https://www.slideshare.net/JailyMariano/bag-technique-24923808
 MAR BASELIOS COLLEGE OF NURSING, BHOPAL

SUBJECT: COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING

ASSIGNMENT
ON
BAG TECHNIQUE

SUBMITTED TO :- SUBMITTED BY
Mrs. Riya Joy Mrs MarietAbraham
Assistant Professor M.Sc. Nursing I Year
Date : 27/ 03 / 2019