Before discharge

Plan the patient’s discharge to the home health care. The patient may not feel compelled to drain the fluid themselves and may not have loved ones who can help. In this case, a home health care provider needs to be called in. Even if the patient or family member wants to drain the fluid themselves, it’s a good idea to have a home health care service as a backup. The patient may gradually get worse and need help.

• Make sure that the patient, family member or home health care provider has the knowledge to drain the patient. Please contact us if there is a need for training.
• Ensure that the protocol for the amount and frequency of draining and information regarding removal of sutures is in place.
• Please send at least 2 drainage sets home with the patient and ensure ordering procedure for further drainage at home. Also send a small bottle of chlorhexidine alcohol.
• Give the patient a hospital discharge letter and the Patient and Drainage Information (Swedish) leaflet, which you can get from us.
• Keep in mind that it is a good idea to keep some drainage material at the clinic in case the patient is re-admitted at a later date.

Once you have implanted the catheter and know who will drain the fluid, we’ll make sure they’re trained and have the right drainage material. Of course, we also train other departments in the hospital in case the patient changes wards.

1. Perform a drainage on the day of discharge. Drain as much as possible based on the patient’s medical conditions before the patient is discharged. Observe national guidelines for ascites drainage regarding possible albumin replacement.
2. Disconnect the drainage material and put a new sterile cap on the safety valve. The safety valve closes automatically, so no clamp is needed on the catheter. Check that the dressing is securely placed.