Educational Intervention: Improving Long Term Care Nursing Staff Comfort with Utilizing Bladder Scanner

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Melissa S. O'Bryant (Creator)

Institution

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )

Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Advisor

Kathryn Lawrence

Abstract: Background: According to the CDC, UTIs result in 20-30% of illnesses reported by long-term care institutions (CDC, 2017). One must consider multiple factors regarding the elderly population and urinary retention vs. UTIs. Intermittent catheterizations cause pain, discomfort, and complications leading to hospitalizations. Among the elderly, specifically the mentally impaired, there is an increased risk for urinary retention or UTIs.Purpose: This project enhanced the staff's knowledge about bladder ultrasound technology to reduce urinary tract infections and unnecessary intermittent catheterizations. Methods: This was a quality improvement (QI) using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Model to identify if the education provided to the nursing staff on the use of bladder scanners would prevent unnecessary intermittent catheterizations, thus decreasing urinary tract infections (UTIs). Results: During the eight weeks of the data collection, 31 (62%) staff members (RN, LPN, CNAs) in the DNP project LTCF site participated in this staff education. The behavioral intention to use the bladder scanner improved slightly, although not statistically significant, decreasing unnecessary intermittent catheterization and UTIs. Recommendations and Conclusions: The bladder scanner is recommended for patients with urinary incontinence among the elderly within all LTCFs because of the increased risk of UTIs. Based on the results of this QI project, the use of the bladder scanner yielded a decrease in UTIs.

Educational Intervention: Improving Long Term Care Nursing Staff Comfort with Utilizing Bladder Scanner
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Created on 1/11/2024
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Additional Information

Publication

Other

Language: English

Date: 2023

Keywords

Long Term Care, UTI, Bladder Scanner, Bladder Ultrasound, Urinary retention in LTCF, Bladder scanner utilization in LTC, LTC staff comfort with utilizing the bladder scanner

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