Investigating the management of continence:people living with dementia
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding how to facilitate continence for people living with dementia in acute hospital settings: raising awareness and improving care\n
IRAS ID
239618
Contact name
Katie Featherstone
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
This study will use a number of sites of observation to examine everyday continence care for people living with dementia within acute hospital settings and how these routines impact on care trajectories and discharge pathways. \n\nFieldwork will be carried out within 3 acute hospitals in two different wards which exemplify the challenges of a large number admissions of people living with dementia (e.g. Medical Admissions Unit and general medical wards). Agreements are in place with 3 acute hospitals in England and Wales to overcome the bias of a single site and demographic sample:\n\nObservation will concentrate on the visible work of nurses and HCAs who are responsible for continence care (30 x shifts per ward, total=180). Focusing on ward routines where toileting may take place or be prompted, including observation rounds, cleansing routines, medication rounds, meal times.\n\nShort ethnographic (in-situ) interviews with ward staff (20-30 per ward, total=120-180) as they are caring for this patient group and staff with co-ordinating responsibilities when involved in continence care and decision making\n\nCollecting routine clinical setting data: (from ward managers and patient records) about staffing levels, overall work allocation, bed occupancy, patient acuity, turnover and the recorded levels of incontinence and catheterisation within each ward at the time of fieldwork to provide context and an understanding of workload.\n\nCase Studies: Detailing initial admission through to discharge and short-term care pathways (observation and in-depth interviews with patients and their families) to examine the impacts and consequences of continence practices on patient experiences and discharge pathways.\n\nThe potential impact lies in the improved understandings of current service delivery, organizational, and interactional factors that may impede or facilitate dignified continence care and improved knowledge of how to enhance outcomes and experiences of care for this vulnerable group.\n
REC name
Wales REC 3
REC reference
18/WA/0033
Date of REC Opinion
23 Apr 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion