Incontinence management
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
|
|
Modules - Incontinence Management
WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER TO OFFER PROMPTED VOIDING PROGRAMS
Having completed basic evaluations of incontinent residents (Step 1) and determined who among them is most responsive to prompted voiding (Step 2), you are now in a position to make informed decisions about how to efficiently use what may be your facility's most valuable resource: staff time.
Lack of staff time is one of, if not THE biggest barrier to implementing prompted voiding programs. The problem is not that prompted voiding consumes more time per episode than regular toileting assistance. We timed both interventions; on average, the first took just 12 seconds longer per episode to implement than the second (1). But toileting assistance in any form is more time-consuming to provide than checking and changing, the usual care given to incontinent residents. In addition, prompted voiding must be offered every two hours during the daytime if residents are to stay dry. By comparison, most nursing home staff provide toileting assistance less than twice a day to residents (1, 2).
We estimate that nursing homes need a staffing ratio of five residents to one nurse aide to effectively provide prompted voiding to all responsive residents (1). But the ratio in most facilities is 10 or more residents to one nurse aide. With such severely restricted staff resources, nursing homes must work smarter in order to wring the most out of what they have. The recommendations that follow can help.
Keep in mind that not every recommendation will work well in every facility. You should decide which to implement based on your residents' needs and your facility's staff resources. And please note: We've started our list with the least restrictive recommendations. You should consider implementing these first.
(prev | next)
|
|
|
