What is a continence assessment?
James Stevens
Updated on May 04, 2026
A continence assessment is a detailed assessment: of how the person’s bladder and bowel are working. of any issues the person has getting to, or using, the toilet. to work out if the person has incontinence and what type of incontinence they have.
What is the meaning of continence care?
Continence care has been defined as “the total package tailored to meet the individual needs of patients with bladder and bowel problems” [31]. Continence care activities that aim to maintain a person’s continence include helping them to use the toilet or altering the environment to prevent disability incontinence.
How do you provide adequate continence care?
Options may include:
- increased fluid intake of up to two litres a day.
- high-fibre diet.
- pelvic floor exercises.
- bladder training.
- training in good toilet habits.
- medications, such as a short-term course of laxatives to treat constipation.
- aids such as incontinence pads.
What is the continence nurse role?
Continence nurses can identify causes, create treatment plans and empower patients with incontinence to be involved in all aspects of their care.
How long does a continence assessment take?
You will require a minimum of 4 hours for a full assessment, report and product prescription. If your needs are complex and include multiple products or travel then additional hours may be required. A Continence Plan and/or Therapy may be recommended in the initial report.
Why is continence care important?
Continence is an important component in a person’s health and well-being at any stage of life and is also an important factor in the use of health resources for the following reasons: Incontinence or dependence on a urinary catheter significantly increases the level of dependency in frail older people.
How do nurses promote continence?
Strategy #1. Continence Promotion: Incorporate Bladder Health Strategies into Routine Healthcare
- Fluid intake.
- Voiding intervals.
- Bowel function.
- Weight.
- Smoking.
- Pelvic muscle exercise.
- Assess for and address reversible factors.
Why do I pee myself after giving birth?
What causes postpartum incontinence? Giving birth is extremely tough on the body and can change a woman’s urinary control abilities. During pregnancy, the weight of the expanding uterus can weaken the strength of a woman’s pelvic floor muscles and cause urine to leak. Giving birth can also affect those same muscles.
What is the National Audit of continence care (NAC)?
The National Audit of Continence Care was a successful audit run by the Clinical Effectiveness and Evaluation Department (CEEU) of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP). The first report was published in 2005 and subsequent audits in 2006 and 2010.
When was the first report published on continence care?
The first report was published in 2005 and subsequent audits in 2006 and 2010. These audits have demonstrated that there is a real and urgent need for improvement in continence care for people with bladder and bowel problems, particularly in those aged 65 and over.
Is the need for integrated continence services met?
Whilst basic provision of care appeared to be in place, the audit identified deficiencies in the organisation of services, and in the assessment and management of urinary incontinence in the elderly. Conclusion: the results of this audit indicate that the requirement for integrated continence services has not yet been met.
How many people with continence problems are in care on the NHS?
The latest report, published in September 2010, describes in detail the care given to almost 19,000 adults with continence problems in a variety of NHS settings such as hospital wards, hospital outpatient clinics, mental health hospitals, GP surgeries and care homes.
