Preventing leaks: reducing urinary incontinence in a rehabilitation hospital

Abstract

Urinary incontinence is a common issue which affects people of all ages. Older people in particular with urinary incontinence risk developing breakdown of their skin, pressure ulcers or falls. Our hospital, Clontarf Hospital in Dublin, was involved in a continence project which examined patient data to inform and improve nursing practice. The primary aim of the project was to reduce the number of patients experiencing urinary incontinence by ensuring accurate assessment, diagnosis and management of the condition before discharge home. Following practice improvements, data showed that 47% of patients who were admitted with incontinence issues were continent on discharge, and our projected annual savings on incontinence wear, specifically pads, was considerable.

This article has been double-blind peer reviewed

In this article…

• Understanding the health, social and financial implications of urinary incontinence

• How patient data helped direct a quality improvement initiative

• Delivery of a quality improvement programme through a multidisciplinary team approach

Key points

Data from patient outcomes is key for informing and improving nursing practices

Almost one third of patients admitted to our hospital had urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence can be successfully treated and improved when it is correctly assessed, diagnosed and managed

After changes in practice, almost half of our patients were continent on discharge from hospital