As the world population ages and the population of assisted living and convalescent homes increases there is a growing demand for the relatively new nursing specialty of continence care nursing.
What makes this specialty different from the regular RN is the fact that the nurse views continence issues from a holistic point of view and prefers "natural" approaches to control or manage the condition as opposed to medication.
The continence care nurse is highly trained in the natural voiding process of the body but also receives intensive instruction in GI, GU and integumentary systems allowing him or her to develop profiles on a patient that can accurately reflect the underlying causes of incontinency.
Aside from assisting in a diagnosis, this nurse is uniquely qualified to assist the patient with the lifestyle changes that may be required to manage the issue.
Bladder diaries, bladder training, monitoring fluids and types of bladder irritating foods, physical therapy and catheter management are all services that the nurse can render to the patient.
Maybe just as important as the specialized training received in both urinary and faecal incontinence is the acceptance by the nurse that this is a medical issue that has the same requirements as any other condition in terms of the nurse dealing with it.
There is not an avoidance of treating incontinence, it is a choice of the nurse.
This can make a big difference in how the patient perceives the treatment.
Rather than being ashamed, if they are treated by a professional who offers respect and no judgement, the patient will be much more comfortable.
This nursing specialty is going to be in continued high demand as our population lives longer and grows older.
Faecal incontinence is a leading cause of persons entering convalescent homes and it's good to know that today there are dedicated medical professionals who will treat the patients with the professional respect they deserve.