Prevention of Incontinence Associated Dermatitis

  Identify etiology of incontinence and treat

  Contain incontinency to minimize skin exposure

  Cleanse skin gently with a pH balanced cleanser

  Moisturize the skin

  Protect the skin

The first step is to assess the skin so that a determination can be made as to the cause for the incontinence--and then to initiate treatment (such as which meds, a toileting program, and whether surgery is needed).

Identify ways to contain the incontinency to minimize skin exposure (absorbent products, external catheter, retracted penis pouch)

Cleanse the skin gently and after each incontinent episode using a pH balanced cleanser which will maintain the skin’s acid mantle. Soap and water is not appropriate for frequent cleansings. There are many cleanser options including wipes and no-rinse cleansers.

Moisturizers and skin protectants (moisture barrier products) are used after each incontinence episode. For intact skin, products that contain petrolatum offer good protection. For non-intact skin, products containing zinc oxide or dimethicone do a better job at sticking to denuded skin. If Candidiasis is identified, the use of an antifungal barrier ointment is required.

 

Resources

There are a number of organizations and references which can provide additional information on absorbent product selection. Here are three which were most useful when preparing this course:

 

National Association for Continence: www.nafc.org

Simon Foundation for Continence: www.simonfoundation.org

Wound Ostomy & Continence Nurses Society: www.wocn.org

Byram Healthcare

Managing and Treating Urinary Incontinence, Diane Kaschak, Health Professions Press

 

There are 100’s of absorbent incontinence products on the market, each with a variety of unique features and benefits. The decision as to what products to have in-house is often determined by a group purchasing agreement and not by a clinical assessment of an individual patient and their type of incontinence. It is recommended that all caregivers become as involved as possible within their organization with these product decisions and evaluations that impact so significantly in their patients’ or residents’ care.

 

Thank you for participating in today’s continuing education course entitled: Incontinence Management Options: Adult Absorbent Products.

The organizations that provide the course’s continuing education accreditations, and your credits for this course, require each of you to submit a course evaluation and to pass the post-test with eight or more correct answers in order to receive CE credit.

Click on the post-test link below.