If this is a life-threatening emergency, call 911 immediately.
Chest pain, severe difficulty breathing, stroke symptoms, major bleeding, or loss of consciousness require emergency medical services. This page describes non-emergency care delivered at home by skilled nurses.
Understanding Nephrostomy Care
What you should know
A nephrostomy is a tube inserted through the skin into the kidney to drain urine when the normal urinary tract is blocked. Blockages can be caused by kidney stones, tumors, blood clots, or surgical complications. The nephrostomy tube bypasses the blockage and drains urine into an external collection bag.
Managing a nephrostomy tube at home requires proper site care (cleaning, dressing changes, monitoring for infection), tube and drainage bag management, and knowing when something is wrong. Complications like infection, tube displacement, and blockage can be serious if not caught early.
Our skilled nurses provide nephrostomy site care, teach patients and caregivers how to manage the drainage system, monitor output and urine characteristics, and watch for signs of infection or other complications. For many patients, the nephrostomy is temporary while the underlying blockage is treated, but some patients require long-term management.
Warning signs
You may need care if…
Your care plan
How we help at home
Expert care for nephrostomy care,
delivered to your home
Our clinicians bring hospital-level expertise to the comfort and safety of where you live.
Common questions
Nephrostomy Care — Common Questions
You can shower with a nephrostomy tube, but the site needs to be covered with a waterproof dressing. Our nurses teach you the proper technique and provide recommendations for waterproof covers. Baths and swimming pools should be avoided until the tube is removed.
It depends on the underlying cause. If the tube was placed for a temporary blockage (like a kidney stone), it may be removed once the blockage is cleared — often within days to weeks. If the blockage is from a tumor or chronic condition, the tube may need to stay in longer. Your urologist determines the timeline.
Related services
Services involved in your care
These are the clinical services our team may use when managing nephrostomy care at home.
Get help with nephrostomy care at home
Our experienced clinicians provide expert renal system care in the comfort of your home. Contact us today to discuss your needs.
For life-threatening emergencies, always call 911.