COURSE MODULE Palawan Polytechnic College Inc.
MODULE WEEK NO.3
Manalo Extension, Puerto Princesa City
048-434-23-93
Department of Nursing
COURSE CODE: NCM 104 Community Health Nursing – RLE (Skills)
Semester of A.Y. 2020-2021
Introduction
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 public health nurses which they have to
carry along during their home visits. It contains basic medication and articles which are necessary for giving
care.
Rationale
It is important to learn and discuss bag technique to nurses because it is important in rendering effective
nursing care to clients and/or members of the family during home visits.
Intended Learning Outcomes
A. Discuss the principles, guidelines, bag contents, and steps in performing bag technique during home
visitation.
B. Demonstrate understanding through return demonstration of bag technique.
Pre-test
Please answer the following questions.
1. Enumerate the solutions included in your PHN Bag.
2. Can you say that learning bag technique is an important aspect in your nursing profession?
Why or why not?
3. What is a PHN Bag?
4. Name at least 7 content of a PHN Bag. (Please do not include the solutions.)
5. Give me at least 3 special consideration that may apply in your PHN Bag.
Discussion
Bag Technique in Nursing
Principles of Bag Technique
Performing the bag technique will minimize, if not, prevent the spread of any infection.
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COURSE MODULE It saves time and effort in the performance of nursing procedures.
MODULE WEEK NO.3
The bag technique can be performed in a variety of ways depending on the agency’s policy, the
home situation, or if principles of avoiding transfer of infection is always observed.
Bag technique should not overshadow concern for the patient, but instead show the effectiveness
of total care given to the patient or the family.
Special Consideration
1. The bag should contain all necessary articles, supplies and equipment which may be used to answer
emergency needs.
2. The bag and its contents should be cleaned as often as possible, supplies replaced and ready for use at
any time.
3. The bag and its contents should be well protected from contact with any article in the home of the
patients. Consider the bag and its contents clean and /or sterile while any article belonging to the
patient as dirty and contaminated.
4. The arrangement of the contents of the bag should be the one most convenient to the user to facilitate
the efficiency and avoid confusion.
5. Hand washing is done as frequently as the situation calls for, helps in minimizing or avoiding
contamination of the bag and its contents.
6. The bag when used for a communicable case should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before
keeping and re-using.
Contents
The following are the contents of a Public Health Nurse bag:
Extra paper for making Plastic/linen lining
Paper lining waste bag
Apron Hand towel Soap in a soap dish
Thermometers (oral and 2 pairs of scissors 2 pairs of forceps (curved
rectal) (surgical and bandage) and straight)
Disposable syringes with Hypodermic needles (g. Sterile dressing
needles (5 ml and 3 ml) 19, 22, 23, 25)
Cotton balls Cord clamp Micropore plaster
Tape measure 1 pair of sterile gloves Baby’s scale
Alcohol lamp 2 test tubes Test tube holders
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COURSE MODULE Solutions of:
MODULE WEEK NO.3
o Betadin o 70% o Zephira o Hydrog
e alcohol n solution en peroxide
o Spirit of o Ophthal o Acetic o Benedic
ammonia mic ointment acid t’s solution
*BP apparatus and stethoscope are carried separately and are never placed in the bag.
Points to consider
1. The bag should contain all the necessary articles, supplies and equipment that will be used to
answer the emergency needs
2. The bag and its contents should be cleaned very often, the supplies replaced and ready for use
anytime.
3. The bag and its contents should be well protected from contact with any article in the patient’s
home.
4. Consider the bag and its contents clean and sterile, while articles that belong to the patients as
dirty and contaminated.
5. The arrangement of the contents of the bag should be the one most convenient to the user, to
facilitate efficiency and avoid confusion.
Steps
The following are steps in performing bag technique and rationale for each action:
Action Rationale
Upon arrival at the patient’s home, place the bag on the
table or any flat surface lined with the paper lining. The
To protect the bag from getting contaminated.
clean side must be out and the folded part, touching the
table. Put the bag’s handles or strap beneath the bag.
Ask for a basin of water or a glass of drinking water if
To be used for hand washing.
tap water is not available.
To protect the work field from being wet.
Place these outside the workarea,
Open the bag and take out the towel and soap. To prepare for hand washing.
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COURSE MODULE MODULE WEEK NO.3
Action Rationale
To prevent infection from the care provider to
Wash hands using soap and water, wipe to dry.
the client.
Take out the apron from the bag and put it on with the
To protect the nurse’s uniform.
right side
Put out all the necessary articles needed for the specific
To have them readily accessible
care.
Close the bag and put it in one corner of the working
To prevent contamination
area.
Proceed in performing the necessary nursing care To give comfort and security and hasten
treatment. recovery
After giving the treatment, clean all things that were
To protect the caregiver and prevent infection
used and perform hand washing.
Open the bag and return all things that were used in their
proper places after cleaning them.
Remove apron, folding it away from the
Remove apron, folding it away from the person, the
person, the soiled side in and the clean side
soiled side in and the clean side out.
out. Place it in the bag.
Fold the lining, place it inside the bag and close the bag
Take the record and have a talk with the mother. Write down all the necessary data that were gathered,
observations, nursing care and treatment rendered. Give instructions for care of patients in the absence of
the nurse.
Make appointment for the next visit (either home or
For follow-up care
clinic) taking note of the date and time.
After Care
1. Before keeping all articles in the bag, clean and disinfect them.
2. Get the bag from the table, fold the paper lining and insert, and place in between the flaps and cover
the bag.
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COURSE MODULE MODULE WEEK NO.3
Evaluation and Documentation
1. Record all relevant findings about the client and members of the family.
2. Take not of environmental factors which affect the clients/family’s health.
3. Include quality of nurse-patient relationship.
4. Assess effectiveness of nursing care provided.
Exercise
Make a video of you demonstrating the use of your PHN bag. Include all the steps in performing your bag
technique, show one nursing intervention (e.g. wound care, urinalysis, etc). Send your video in my email,
viber, or upload it to your google drive and share it with me.
Post-test
Please answer the following questions.
1. Enumerate the solutions included in your PHN Bag.
2. Can you say that learning bag technique is an important aspect in your nursing profession?
Why or why not?
3. What is a PHN Bag?
4. Name at least 7 content of a PHN Bag. (Please do not include the solutions.)
5. Give me at least 3 special consideration that may apply in your PHN Bag.
Resources and Additional Resources
Community Health Nursing and Community Health Development Text-Workbook, First Edition,
2012, Ms. Cecilia Estrada – Castro, RN, MAN, MSP
Community Health Nursing Services in the Philippines, DOH
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