The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an external female urinary management system (external urinary device for female anatomy [EUDFA]) in critically ill women unable to self-toilet and to identify rates of indwelling catheter use, catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), urinary incontinence (UI), and incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) before and after the introduction of the EUDFA.
Prospective, observational, and quasi-experimental design.
The sample comprised 50 adult female patients in 4 critical/progressive care units using an EUDFA at a large academic hospital in the Midwestern United States. All adult patients in these units were included in the aggregate data.
Prospective data collected from the adult female patients over 7 days included urine diverted from the device to a canister and total leakage. Aggregate unit rates of indwelling catheter use, CAUTIs, UI, and IAD were retrospectively examined during 2016, 2018, and 2019. Means and percentages were compared using t tests or chi-square tests.
The EUDFA successfully diverted 85.5% of patients' urine. Indwelling urinary catheter use was significantly lower in 2018 (40.6%) and 2019 (36.6%) compared with 2016 (43.9%) (P < .01). The rate of CAUTIs was lower in 2019 than in 2016, but not significantly (1.34 per 1000 catheter-days vs 0.50, P = .08). The percentage of incontinent patients with IAD was 69.2% in 2016 and 39.5% in 2018-2019 (P = .06).
The EUDFA was effective in diverting urine from critically ill female incontinent patients and indwelling catheter utilization.
Journal of wound, ostomy, and continence nursing : official publication of The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society. 0000 Jan [Epub]
Terrie Beeson, Joyce Pittman, Carmen R Davis
Terrie Beeson, MSN, RN, CCRN, ACNS-BC, Indiana University Health Academic Health Center, Indianapolis.