Authors

1Gemma Mercé Catalán, 2Ángeles Tell Esparraguera

Position

¹Diplomada en Enfermería. Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital de Figueres, Girona. ²Diplomada en Enfermería. Residencia Nova Vida de Roses, Girona.

Contact address

C/ Eduard Rodeja, 14. 17600 Figueres.

Contact email: pigala@wanadoo.es

Abstract

Objective: to study the knowledge and performance of healthcare professional in urinary incontinence in four geriatric centres (nursing homes) located in the area of "Alt Empordá" in the province of Girona.
Material and method: a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted through a self-elaborated survey applied to the nursing team of each of the four geriatric centres.
Results: All nurses and 89,8% of nurse’s aids in geriatrics manifested that in their work place there is a protocol in place for urinary incontinence. 44,4% of the nurses and 50,8% of the nurses aides stated that their centre had education programs on vesical re-education. As regards the detection of urinary incontinence, 911,5% if the aids and 66,7% of the nurses were of the opinion that it is the carer who first detects the condition. Bad smell was the first sign that made them suspect urinary incontinence. 66,7% of nurses and 52,5% of the aids always accompanied the inmate to the toilet before bedtime. The lack of human resources is the main reason that prevents geriatric nurses and aides from performing all that would be desirable to control urinary incontinence.
Conclusions: The opinions of the staff members denote satisfactory interventions in urinary incontinence. However, some aspects could be improved upon (the number of vesical re-education programmes is insufficient): It would be necessary to expand the knowledge and performances with more continued education, improved team work and increased availability of human resources).

Keywords:

urinary incontinence; vesical re-education; training; geriatrics; gerontologyelderly patients

Versión en Español

Título:

Conocimiento y actuación sobre la incontinencia urinaria