Evaluating a telehealth intervention for urinalysis monitoring in children with neurogenic bladder.
Bernie Carter, Karen Whittaker, Caroline Sanders
PMID 29804471WHAT IT FOUND
Parents of children with neurogenic bladder found home urinalysis monitoring empowering and time-saving, using printouts to advocate for faster care.
However, they largely ignored weight and diary components, and technical glitches increased nursing workload.
Key findings
01All interviewed parents felt they benefited from the intervention and wished to continue using the urinalysis monitoring and equipment, valuing the printed results.
02Parents reported that having objective printouts from the device gave them 'authority' when speaking to GPs, leading to quicker access to medical attention.
03Compliance with secondary monitoring tasks (weight, temperature, voiding diary) was inconsistent or absent due to technical difficulties, lack of fit with daily routines, and poor understanding of instructions.
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 a small-scale pilot at a single hospital, so the findings cannot be generalized. The intervention duration was short, so it is unclear if the benefits or burdens would persist over time. Participants self-selected, which may mean the most motivated or tech-savvy families were included. The commercial partner owned the technology, meaning the clinical team could not fix technical glitches themselves, adding to their workload.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The study was funded by a collaborative Investment Voucher Agreement between the University of Central Lancashire and BT (Global Services Division).
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that parents will consistently use all components of a multi-part home monitoring system. The pilot showed high engagement with urinalysis but low engagement with weight, temperature, and diary recording due to practical barriers, meaning clinical teams may not receive the full dataset they expect.