Management of patients with nephrostomy tubes: Nursing toolkit

Published: December 2022. Next review: 2028.

This guide provides information to clinicians on how to care for a patient with a nephrostomy tube.

It outlines the principles for best practice care, including the correct insertion of a nephrostomy tube, ongoing care, removal of the tube, and discharge.

Download Management of patients with nephrostomy tubes: Nursing toolkit – (PDF 817.9 KB)

Resources

• Troubleshooting for a nephrostomy tube (PDF 153.6 KB)

• Collection of urine sample from a nephrostomy tube (PDF 128.2 KB)

• How to clean the nephrostomy site (PDF 102.2 KB)

• Flushing a nephrostomy tube via a three-way stopcock (PDF 472.0 KB)

• Patient fact sheet: What to expect when you are getting a nephrostomy tube (PDF 302.1 KB)

Background

Percutaneous nephrostomy is an image-guided placement of a catheter, which passes through the flank into the renal pelvis.

Nephrostomy tubes are inserted in the operating theatre or radiology department to provide temporary or permanent urinary drainage following a procedure, or to relieve ureteric obstruction.

Although nephrostomy tubes are very common in urology units, they are not always correctly managed.

This toolkit is an update to the original version, which was compiled by the Urology Nursing Education Working Party members in September 2008.