Knowledge and Practice of Urinary Incontinence Management Among Nursing Professionals in Serbian Nursing Homes: A...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Urinary incontinence (UI) significantly impacts older adults, especially in nursing homes, causing physical, emotional, and financial burdens.
• Effective UI management relies on nursing professionals' knowledge and practices, yet gaps persist.
• Assessing these knowledge and practice gaps is vital for improving care quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate nursing professionals' knowledge and practices concerning urinary incontinence in older adults.
• To investigate associations between sociodemographic characteristics and UI knowledge/practice.
• To determine the correlation between knowledge and practice in UI management.

Main Methods:

• A multicentre, descriptive, cross-sectional study adhering to STROBE guidelines.
• 171 nursing professionals participated in the study.
• The Urinary Incontinence Quiz (UIQ) and Urinary Knowledge and Practice Instrument (UKPI) were utilized.

Main Results:

• Overall knowledge regarding UI in older adults was suboptimal, though familiarity with causes and toilet training benefits was noted.
• Continuing education and interest in UI correlated with higher knowledge levels.
• Continence care interventions were common, but documentation and comprehensive toileting plans were less frequent; a weak positive correlation existed between knowledge and practice.

Conclusions:

• Significant knowledge and practice deficits in urinary incontinence management exist among nursing professionals in Serbia.
• Educational interventions are necessary to enhance nursing professionals' competence in managing UI.
• Improving UI care requires addressing identified knowledge and practice gaps through targeted training.