• F M Cheater.
• Department of Health and Nursing, Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh, Scotland.
• J Adv Nurs. 1993 Nov 1; 18 (11): 1734-46.

AbstractUrinary incontinence is a common problem experienced by patients in hospital. As part of a series of studies, a retrospective survey was carried out of 229 nursing and medical records of patients identified as incontinent of urine by the nurses-in-charge, in 14 acute medical wards and 26 health care of the elderly wards. The aims of the survey were to investigate the extent to which urinary incontinence had been identified as a problem, and to examine the nature of its assessment and management. The recording of the problem was found to be inconsistent and there was a paucity of information which might have contributed towards its assessment. The causes of incontinence were rarely recorded and in approximately half of the nursing and medical records examined there was a complete absence of any information related to a management plan. Where recorded, interventions reflected predominantly palliative measures such as routine toileting regimens and the use of continence aids. The implications of these findings are discussed.

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