Edinburgh Napier University

  This pilot project was initiated and carried out by members of a medicine of the elderly continence clinical improvement group. Nurses working in one ward in a hospital specialising in the care of older patients were involved in a practice development project in order to change practice in continence assessment. This project utilised multidisciplinary focus groups, educational tools such as workshops and role play, change management strategies and ongoing facilitation. The project was able to react to many challenges faced whilst implementing changes in practice in the clinical area. For example, the continence assessment tool was incorporated into the pre-existing multidisciplinary team sheet rather than being issued as a ‘stand alone’ document. This meant that the components of the continence assessment were more likely to be documented. Success of the project has been determined through eliciting the reflections of the ward-based multidisciplinary team.