title: Use of a continence nurse specialist in an extended care facility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine if the number of incontinence episodes for an elderly female population could be decreased through an individualized continence program in a Connecticut long-term care center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two female residents who in a long-term care facility who were incontinent or had urgency related to overactive bladder were included in the incontinence program. Total numbers of incontinent episodes for each participant were recorded 1 week prior to the study. An individualized plan of care for each patient was developed by the continence specialist and the plan of care implemented for at least 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the continence specialist recommended a program of treatment and the program of treatment was implemented for 1 year, the number of UTIs (31 preintervention year; 6 postintervention year) and pressure ulcers (15 preintervention year; 2 postintervention year) were substantially decreased and the number of falls cut by more than 50% (18 preintervention; 7 postintervention).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A nurse continence specialist can be used to help long-term care facilities plan a program that will direct individualized nursing interventions that will improve patient outcomes related to UTI, pressure sore and fall rates, and reduce the costs of care.
authors.affiliation: Avon Health Center, Avon, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klay
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marfyak
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017773:Pelvic Floor; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities; D014039:Toilet Training; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing*; D014563:Urodynamics
chemical_list: D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists