Managing Urinary Incontinence in Nursing Homes

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of health professionals managing urinary incontinence in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive using a phenomenological approach. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Seventeen health care professionals (5 nurses’ aides, 4 physiotherapists, 3 nurses, 2 occupational therapists, 2 psychologists, and 1 nursing home director) were selected through heterogeneous sampling from 9 nursing homes in Central Catalonia (1 of the 9 regions that comprise Spain). METHODS: Semi-structured interviews conducted by videoconferencing between January and March 2021. Data were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. These data were analyzed following Colaizzi’s method. RESULTS: Findings suggest that health care professionals experienced numerous resident-related, staff-related, and contextual challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated some challenges, particularly management of time and workload. Facilitators of continence care were highlighted, such as building trust between the resident and health care professionals, anticipation of continence needs, activity planning, and effective communication with the residents and among health care professionals. For future best practice, person-centered care by a multidisciplinary team is required. Participants also recommended the development of specific competencies related to continence care in this setting. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings illustrate the difficulties experienced by staff managing urinary incontinence in nursing homes during the COVID-19 epidemic.