Nurse and Health Care Aide Knowledge of Urinary Continence Promotion and Management In Hospitalized Older People

Purpose: The aims of this study were to determine if there was a change in medical unit nursing staffs' knowledge about lower urinary tract symptoms following an education presentation and whether the education session met their learning needs.

Design: Single-group, before-after study.

Subjects And Setting: The study sample comprised 21 licensed nurses and 16 health care aides from 3 medical units in a tertiary care hospital in western Canada.

Methods: Participants completed pre- and post-true/false questionnaires developed for the project to assess lower urinary tract symptom knowledge, and a questionnaire to determine whether the education session met staff learning needs.

Results: Knowledge was moderate on the pretest in both groups, with licensed nurses showing a significant improvement after the education intervention. Health care aides did not have a significant change in knowledge; they persisted in their belief that incontinence is a normal change of aging.

Conclusions: Health care aides need targeted education and enhanced care processes to shift their knowledge and thinking about continence.