BLADDER FUNCTION AND URINARY INCONTINENCE
The Activities on these Portfolio Pages correspond with the learning objectives
of the Guided Learning unit published in Nursing Times 105: 40 (13 October,
2009). The full reference list for this unit follows Activity 4.
Before starting to work through these Activities, save this document onto your
computer, then print the completed work for your professional portfolio.
Alternatively, simply print the pages if you prefer to work on paper, using extra
sheets as necessary.
Recording your continuing professional education
To make your work count as part of your five days’ CPD for each registration
period, make a note in the box below of the date and the total number of hours
you spent on reading the unit and any other relevant material, and working
through the Activities.
Hours:
Date:
ACTIVITY 1
Learning objective: Identify the possible
underlying causes of urinary incontinence
in older people.
Activity: Mrs Jane Green* is 83 and is
physically fit and mobile, but has recently
been diagnosed with dementia. She has
never had any previous problems with
incontinence but has now started to have
occasional urinary incontinence, and has
started to urinate in the waste bin in her
bedroom at night.
What might be the underlying cause of
Mrs Green’s incontinence?
What advice would you give to her
husband to promote continence?
RESPONSE
Begin your response here.
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BLADDER FUNCTION AND URINARY INCONTINENCE
ACTIVITY 2
Learning objective: Describe the effect
of urinary incontinence on daily activities
of an older person.
Activity: Gladys Hill* is an 80 year old
widow. She is very involved in the local
church and enjoys participating in events
at the local community centre. She has
started to suffer with urinary urgency and
has had one episode of urge
incontinence which has destroyed her
confidence. She is now afraid to go out
and has declined an invitation on a coach
trip to the coast as she is worried about
not being able to get to a toilet when
necessary.
Consider the physical, social and
psychological effects of the urinary
symptoms on Mrs Hill. What could you do
to help her?
RESPONSE
Begin your response here.
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BLADDER FUNCTION AND URINARY INCONTINENCE
ACTIVITY 3
Learning objective: Explain the key
factors in a continence assessment of an
older person.
Activity: Stanley Evans* is 86 and apart
from mild heart failure and some arthritis
in his knees he is fit for his age. He takes
furosemide and paracetamol. He has
started to suffer from urinary frequency,
nocturia, and has also noticed that his
flow of urine is not as strong as it used to
be and sometimes he is not able to pass
urine straightaway when he gets to the
toilet.
There may be more than one cause of Mr
Evans’ urinary symptoms. How would
you undertake an assessment and what
further investigations might be indicated?
RESPONSE
Begin your response here.
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BLADDER FUNCTION AND URINARY INCONTINENCE
ACTIVITY 4
Learning objective: Understand the
therapies that may be offered following
continence assessment.
What are the principles of bladder
retraining and pelvic floor exercises?
Explain in detail the advice that Mrs
Smith should have been given.
*All patients’ names have been changed.
Activity: Betty Smith* is 81 and has
overactive bladder syndrome. The nurse
has advised that she does bladder
retraining and pelvic floor exercises. She
has also given her advice about the type
and amount of fluid that she drinks.
RESPONSE
Begin your response here.
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BLADDER FUNCTION AND URINARY INCONTINENCE
FULL REFERENCE LIST
Department of Health (2001) National
Service Framework for Older People.
London: DH. tinyurl.com/nsf-older-people
Department of Health (2000) Good
Practice in Continence Services. London:
DH. tinyurl.com/dh-continence-services
Fonda, D. et al (2005) Incontinence in the
frail elderly. Chapter 18. Incontinence
Volume 2: Management . Paris:
International Continence Society Health
Publication Ltd.
Laycock, J., Haslam, J. (2002) Urinalysis.
Therapeutic Management of Incontinence
and Pelvic Pain. London: Springer.
NICE (2006) Urinary Incontinence: the
Management of Urinary Incontinence in
Women. Clinical Guideline CG40.
www.nice.org.uk/cg40
Norton, C. (2001) Nursing For Continence
(2nd edn). Beaconsfield: Beaconsfield
Publishers.
Royal College of Physicans (2006)
National Audit of Continence Care for Older
People. Clinical Effectiveness and
Evaluation Unit. London: RCP.
Slack. M, et al (2008) Fast Facts: Bladder
Disorders. Oxford: Health Press.
Staskin, D. et al (2005) Initial Assessment
of incontinence in Incontinence Volume 1:
Basics and Evaluation. International
Continence Society Health Publication Ltd,
Paris.
Teo, J. et al (2006) Do sleep problems or
urinary incontinence predict falls in elderly
women? Australian Journal of
Physiotherapy; 52, 19-24
Wagg, A. (2007) GP Fact File: Overactive
Bladder in the Elderly Patient. London:
Medical Imprint.
Wilson, P. et al (2005) Adult conservative
management in incontinence. Incontinence
Volume 2 : Management International
Continence Society Health Publication Ltd ,
Paris.
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NOTES
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