A multidisciplinary approach to improving urinary continence.
A pilot project was initiated and carried out by a multidisciplinary team working with older people with the aim of promoting effective practice in continence care. A documentation audit and staff questionnaire covering four independent hospital sites had identified the prevalence of urinary incontinence among inpatients to be 47%. This affected patients' participation in rehabilitation programmes. A framework was adopted that supported the implementation of evidence in practice. Strategies used by the project team included: workshops, role play and tools to aid decision making. Success of the project was confirmed by multidisciplinary focus group evaluations of all members of the ward team and by a post-intervention comparison of practice in the pilot ward with a similar ward using an established continence audit tool.
King
L
L
Napier University, Edinburgh. l.king@napier.ac.uk
Pilcher
M
M
D000368:Aged; D019985:Benchmarking; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D004282:Documentation; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D055318:Evidence-Based Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009731:Nursing Audit; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009737:Nursing Records; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*