Effectiveness of a Smart Urinary Continence Care Assessment System for Nursing Home Residents: A Quasi-Experimental, Sequential Quantitative-Qualitative Methods Trial.
Saima N Rajabali, Kathleen F Hunter, Prosper Asaana and 3 others
PMID 36640164WHAT IT FOUND
In nursing home residents, an electronic pad assessment, staff training, and individualized care planning helped more residents reduce 24-hour pad absorbency than usual care.
Staff reported fewer unnecessary wet checks and more tailored care.
Key findings
01Compared with usual care, the intervention group, which received sensor pads, staff training, and individualized care planning, had more residents achieve a reduction in 24-hour pad absorbency (50.6% vs 39.1%).
02In the intervention group, total absorbency of night pads and 24-hour pad leakage episodes decreased significantly over 8 weeks.
03Staff reported that the system helped reduce unnecessary wet checks and choose more appropriate pads, but it may not work well for residents with significant fecal incontinence or cognitive impairment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was done in one nursing home with four care units, so results may not apply to other settings. The groups were not well matched at baseline; residents in the intervention group had more pad leakages, used more pads, and had higher absorbency. Interviews included only staff from intervention units, and most residents could not provide their own perspective. Usual care planning time was not measured, and usual care planning was a broader 3-week process, so time comparisons were incomplete. Follow-up was short; plan adherence was assessed only at week 16. The study used a commercial product, and the manufacturer provided staff training and product cost data.
Declared interests
The study used a commercial Essity system. Essity provided staff training and product cost data. One author declares fees for research and consultancy from Essity, speaker honoraria from Astellas Pharma and Urovant Sciences, and research support from Pfizer. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the significant pad absorbency result as proof that the system improves quality of life or saves staff time. The groups were not well matched at baseline, reported quality of life improved in both groups, and the reduction in time spent in continence care was not significant.